La Petite Fleur
by Ki-chanForPresident
Summary: Based off of the story of Thumbelina. Roxas is small, innocent, vulnerable, and when he is taken from his love, Prince Axel of the Fairies, he must go through multiple, horrible things...even when he thinks his love is dead... Pairings listed inside...
1. Chapter I

A/n: OH MY GOSH, THIS IS GONNA BE GUUUUD, YES? Keep reading if you wanna see some Y.A.O.I. also, containing in this story will have XemRoku, RenoRoku, RikuRoku. This story is based off of the story of Thumbelina, and done in my own original sort of way X3 PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL MEH WHAT YA THINK!

The rain had just finished showering from the cloudy sky, now creating a light mist in the air and only a few droplets here and there that decided to fall out of the gray clouds. These kind of days were the days that Aerith would just despise, because she would always be alone; alone in her small cottage, cold and no one to be with, to talk with or just simply to _be_ with. It saddened the young woman to the core whenever she would look out her windows into the small town that day and see all of the other people socializing with their family and friends, laughing and looking very happy.

Aerith sighed gently and sat down on the window seal that overlooked the small French village, just on the edge of a magnificent forest that went on for miles and miles. Some people had said that the forest was enchanted and had mythical creatures that lived among the trees. Aerith liked to believe that wonderful creatures such as fairies existsed out there, but she wasn't sure she did believe it or not. The thought sounded lovely, especially for a young woman who lived alone for so long, wanting nothing more than someone to spend her time with. A friend.

Ever since she had lost her fiancée, Aerith had never been able to bring that beautiful and lively spirit out of her again. For that spirit to return she needed to be with somebody for it to ever happen, and Aerith had long decided that she was going to find someone to live with her if it was the last thing she did. And whoever they were they would be the _perfect_ friend for Aerith- they'd be nice, compassionate, full of energy, and overall sweet, and their sole purpose would be to live with Aerith, spending their days together living by the massive forest on the country side, talk and read together, and just everything that Aerith loved to do this person would love it just the same...

Aerith had heard of there being some sort of witch in the town. She had never seen this witch before, but Aerith had decided that a witch could somehow help her in finding a companion, and Aerith believed in the impossible.

That misty afternoon, Aerith had just finished watering the lovely roses she had planted in pots all in her home, the slender young woman stepping out of her small cottage and out onto the streets. The witch supposedly lived just on the edge of the forest in a cottage much like Aerith's, except a tad bit bigger and much darker looking. Aerith had asked around some of the townsfolk that day about which exact way to go to get to the witch's cottage, and everyone's reply was exactly the same. Aerith had quickly located the witch's cottage.

Aerith stood a few feet away from the cottage's front door, the brown-haired woman looking behind herself for a moment where she could see the village down a dirt path and through some trees. Aerith paused a moment, sighed and looked down at the basket she had been holding in her right hand. Inside the basket was an assortment of different things. Aerith had heard of many situations where people have visited the witch and whatever they asked for the payment would be different. Aerith had heard the usual payment method of gold coins, to the most delicious tasting breads and fruits, to something as lovely as a simple type of flower that blossomed around here.

Aerith wanted to make sure that she had brought the exact right thing, so she had brought one of all of those things: Gold coins, bread, fruit, and one of her most beautiful roses.

Aerith finally puckered up enough courage to step up the stone steps that lead to the front door, the young brunette tapping on the wooden door timidly. Aerith waited nervously and straightened out her faded pink dress and stared at the ground. Finally, after what seemed like eons, the door slowly opened, there standing a very tall woman with mean looking eyes.

Aerith looked instantly afraid, swallowing nervously as she saw the look of aggravation in the witch's eyes.

"Can I help you, young miss?" came the witch with a surprisingly gentle voice.

"Oh, y-yes, m'am," Aerith stammered and bowed her head. "I need y-your help with something...and I was h-hoping you would b-be able to help me?"

The witch paused a moment and nodded, gesturing for Aerith to step inside. Aerith slowly moved into the cottage, her blue eyes looking around at the interior of the cottage, which was one, spacious open room, filled with books stacked upon one another, to shelves holding things that Aerith had never seen before. The witch walked past Aerith and took a seat in padded wooden chair, looking up at Aerith and actually offering a friendly looking smile. Aerith suddenly felt better when the witch smiled.

"So," the witch began, gesturing for Aerith to take a seat as well in the other padded wooden chair, "how can I help you, dear?"

Aerith practically ran to the other chair, setting her basket of payment in her lap and watching as the witch helped herself to some tea.

"Well," Aerith began, trying to find some appropriate words. "You see...I have been alone for six years, and I have become exceedingly lonely. There is no one who I can spend my time with. There's no one that I can talk with and call them my _friend_." Aerith paused a moment and gave a shuddering sigh. She felt pressured to pour her heart out to this witch, but Aerith felt like she shouldn't, but simply to stay calm. She swallowed thickly before continuing.

"I just want a friend, m'am. Anyone! I don't care who they are, just as long as they're nice to me and wish nothing more than to spend their time with me and love me as much as I will love them..."

Aerith gave a great, but silent, sigh and looked up at the witch. She was staring at Aerith with almost upmost interest, and she looked like she actually knew what to do to cure this loneliness that Aerith was having. The witch slowly rose to her feet and strode across the room, going towards a shelf that had an assortment of particularly random items on it. It ranged from jars of things, to some large, single objects - Aerith even saw a large green crystal that seemed to have little creatures moving around inside of it.

The witch had been staring at this one certain shelf for about three minutes until she had finally located what she was looking for, and it appeared to be a simple, round little...something. Aerith tilted her head to the side when the witch returned to Aerith, standing in front of her and gesturing for Aerith to hold out her hand. The brown-haired woman swallowed and nervously held open her palm.

The witch reached out with seemingly rough hands - which were actually quite smooth - and placed the small round thing in her hands. She then closed Aerith's hand and smiled at her. Aerith looked very confused and looked back up at the witch, seeing her smile and Aerith's heart skipped lightly.

"It is a seed," the witch explained finally. "Take this seed and plant it. Water it every day, and when the moon is full it will sprout and you will be greeted with your everlasting friend."

Aerith slowly opened her palm, looking down at the little golden seed in her hand. She felt her heart flutter in wonder and surprise at what would happen when the seed would finally sprout. Just what would it create?

"D-Do you need payment?" Aerith stuttered, still looking nervous.

"No, dear," said the witch. "I understand. Go home and plant that seed right this instant."

Aerith blinked and decided to take the witch's word before she gave the witch a very polite and kind thank you before hurrying out of the cottage and back to her own house. Once she reached there, Aerith had a very happy smile on her face. She had located the nicest of her flower pots, filled it with the richest, thickest soil she had before placing it by the window seal that overlooked the country side instead of the village - Aerith didn't want any children accidentally knocking it over.

Aerith carefully reached into her pocket of her dress and held the seed in her palm. Aerith smiled at it and kissed it lightly before pushing it into the soil, covering it up with her palm and shortly adding some water to the soil. Aerith gave another small sigh and a smile, looking out at the country side, resting her cheeks into her palms and allowing her eyes to close. "I can't wait to see you, precious one..."

Every day, Aerith would water her seed, waiting anxiously for the day when the seed would sprout into a flower, and until then, Aerith would wonder and wonder what would happen after the flower would sprout. But it would pain Aerith every night to look out her window at the sky and see the moon, but it would never be full. The days were long and cruel, and the moon refused to ever become full. But Aerith didn't give up hope. She just continued to water her seed and imagine the day when it would sprout.

But this day, Aerith had been out in the village, buying a few ingredients she needed for a stew, overhearing a few of the villagers saying that there was going to be a full moon that night and to be careful for anyone who had livestock because the wolves would be out.

Instantly when hearing this, Aerith got a sudden rush of excitement and she hurried back to her cottage and cooked her stew with utter happiness, wishing the day would go by faster and the night would arrive. Aerith soon realized she needed to get her mind off of the seed that would sprout that night because she knew if she forgot about it then the day would go by quicker and it would be time for the seed to grow and Aerith would be twice as excited. So she occupied herself by eating her thick and scrumptious stew, sewing a new dress for herself, and reading a fairytale about a prince and a princess.

Soon enough, darkness had come over the village and the moon was starting to rise over the forest. Sudden excitement filled Aerith and she rushed over to the window seal where her precious little friend was, buried deep in the soil and would rise any moment. Aerith looked out at the sky and saw the moon, white as a ghost and completely full. The brunette smiled brightly and looked back down at the pot full of soil. Nothing was happening yet, and Aerith told herself to be patient and that it may take a few moments for something to happen.

And something did happen.

The soil began to shift slightly, Aerith's heart skipping, and then, rising from the soil, grew a tall red, red rose; the most beautiful rose that Aerith had ever seen. It outshined all of her gorgeous roses and blossoms, because it was practically glowing and sparkling. The bud was tight shut and it had yet to open yet, and Aerith was getting anxious for something else to happen. Where was her new friend? The witch wasn't just talking about the rose, was she? How was she supposed to talk and laugh and read with a rose?

Aerith was starting to get particularly scared now, but all was forgotten when the rose bud began to unfurl... Aerith's breath stopped a moment when the rose completely opened up and Aerith saw what was inside the rose, and Aerith was breathless and speechless.

Inside the rose was possibly the tiniest little creature Aerith had ever seen. It was a little boy, a little boy with golden blond hair that spiked up in certain directions. He looked so very delicate, the way he was curled up on the bud, sleeping peacefully, and all Aerith could say was, "Beautiful..."

And when that word came out of Aerith's mouth, the little golden-haired boy stirred from his slumber and slowly opened his eyes, revealing big, beautiful, innocent blue orbs. Aerith was blown away by how absolutely gorgeous this small boy was, and she was hiding her urge to jump with joy. The blond boy looked up at Aerith, eyes wide and curious. Aerith felt a tingle run up her back and she offered the boy a very nice smile, "Hello."

"Hello..." responded the flower boy.

Aerith was almost giddy with excitement. She licked her lips and smiled very widely, kneeling down so she didn't look so huge to this small boy.

"Who're you?" asked the boy.

"My name is Aerith," said Aerith, outstretching her hand for the boy to step into it. "And...who're you?"

The boy didn't reply immediately, but he did slowly stand up and step into Aerith's open palm. "I think I'm your new friend, aren't I, Aerith?"

Aerith gasped very softly when she heard him say this, lifting her palm up slowly and closer to her face so she could see his features better up close. He was so beautiful that Aerith almost felt herself become jealous by how lovely he was, but she shook her head and just smiled even wider at the pretty little boy in her palms and nodded to his question.

"Yes... Oh, yes, you're my new friend," Aerith gasped with happiness.

The boy stared up at Aerith and gave a very sweet little smile, and Aerith actually felt her eyes become a little moist when she saw the gorgeous little smile on his face.

"I'm so glad I have a friend like you, Aerith," said the boy.

Aerith nodded a little enthusiastically, and took a moment to simply realize how absolutely tiny this boy was. He was no bigger than her thumb, and he was actually leaning against it, still smiling up at Aerith with that pretty little smile that Aerith couldn't get enough of.

"Do...do you have a name?" Aerith asked gently, waiting patiently for the boy's reply.

He paused a moment and then looked back up at Aerith, shaking his head innocently before scratching his head. "Not that...I can remember. Shouldn't _you_ name me, Aerith?"

Aerith hesitated a moment, wondering what sort of name she could name her new friend. She didn't want to give him any ordinary name, but she didn't want to give him a name that even he wouldn't be able to remember or pronounce. But then, without even starting with the letter A yet, Aerith suddenly got a name. A perfect name. A name that fit this boy like how a name should fit a person. The brunette gave another smile and nodded.

"Roxas," she said. "Your name is Roxas. Do...you like it?"

The blond paused for a few seconds, thinking about his new name and he smiled widely, realizing that he really did like it. "I like it a lot! Thank you, Aerith!"

Roxas smiled again, reaching out to wrap his little tiny arms around Aerith's thumb, squeezing it as tightly as he could - which wasn't very tight at all - and opened one of his bright blue eyes up at her and giggled softly. Aerith laughed very gently herself, lifting her hands up carefully with Roxas in the middle of both of them, and then, she began to slowly spin around, keeping her eyes directly on Roxas's small, lovely face, both of them laughing happily and freely to each other. Finally, Aerith stopped when she realized she was getting too tired and sat down in one of her comfortable chairs by the fireplace.

"I'm going to need to make you some clothes," Aerith said. "What colors do you like, Roxas?"

"Oh that's easy," Roxas smiled, sitting down in Aerith's hand. "Blue is my favorite color."

Aerith smiled again, "Blue is a perfect color for you! I personally like pink, but blue suits you like how pink suits me. I'll make you something right now." Aerith stood up and walked over to her bed, placing Roxas down onto her pillow, the blond boy stumbling slightly at how soft the landing was and he toppled over onto his rear end.

While Aerith sat near the fireplace sewing Roxas's new clothes, Roxas stared around at the inside of the cottage, seeing the beautiful flowers that Aerith had planted in different sized pots all around her house, with a different a flower in each one of them. All of the flowers looked uniquely and individually beautiful to Roxas, the blond giggling softly to himself at how lovely they all looked to him. He wondered if their could possibly be any other types of flowers, more than just these.

Roxas was snapped out of his daze of finding all of these flowers so beautiful when Aerith said she had finished Roxas's outfit. The brunette walked back over to Roxas and sat down on the bed next to him, holding in her hands the perfect sized little blue suit. It was a pair of navy blue pants that stopped just above the knee, along with a white, long-sleeved shirt that's sleeves were very long and billowed out, with a finishing touch, a bright, sky blue waistcoat.

Roxas had fit it perfectly onto his body, Aerith picking him up and taking him over to her hand mirror, where Roxas stepped down onto it and saw his reflection from below. It was good enough for him. Roxas smiled widely, finding his cheeks actually reddening at how good he thought he looked in these clothes.

"Oh, Aerith, I think they're wonderful!" Roxas exclaimed, doing a little spin of joy.

Aerith clapped her hands together in joy herself, copying what Roxas did and spinning on her feet like a ballerina. She was giggling happily and crying out words of absolute wondrous cheer as she picked up Roxas in her hands again and brought the boy close up to her face. Aerith then, as gently as she could, placed a little kiss on top of Roxas's fluffy, blond head.

Roxas blinked when Aerith did this, but nevertheless smiled, reaching up himself to kiss the tip of Aerith's nose, feeling the rose-petal soft lips that Roxas had, the brunette smiling even wider at how perfect her new little friend was.

"Your my precious little Roxas..." Aerith whispered. "I love you so much..."

Roxas grinned from ear to ear, nearly hopping up and down with happiness himself, "I love you, Aerith."

Aerith actually blushed very darkly, crying out in joy as she savored the moment of Roxas saying he loved Aerith. Roxas caught how happy this made Aerith feel and proceeded to say he loved her again, Aerith practically squealing with an overload of joy, Roxas finding this far too amusing and saying it over and over, Aerith finally having to stop giggling to actually breathe before she plunked herself onto her bed, setting Roxas on her bedside table.

"I don't think I'll ever stop loving you, Aerith," Roxas smiled widely.

"And neither will I," Aerith replied back. "It's very late, Roxas, are you sleepy?"

Roxas reached up and rubbed at his eyes with his tiny little knuckles, realizing that he indeed was very tired. All that he went through today was enough to make him tired- a whole new world was waiting for him tomorrow and he had met his new friend who he was going to love and spend his life with. Roxas looked up at Aerith and nodded, "Yes, I never actually realized how sleepy I was."

"I'll make a bed for you," Aerith said. "Tomorrow I'll make an actual bed for you, one that's like mine. But for now, I'll just have to lay out some blankets."

Aerith stood up and searched for just the right type of little bed she could make for little Roxas. After a while, she had found a small bit of cotton soft cloth she used for sewing bed sheets, cut it into just the right size for Roxas with a pair of scissors, and made a perfect, comfortable little bed for Roxas. When she had completely made it up for him, the blond had immediately gone to it and got under the little tiny sheets that Aerith had made and snuggled down into the soft fabric.

He opened his bright blue eyes one more time to look up at Aerith, smiling that beautiful smile that Aerith thought was just as beautiful as one of her flowers, possibly even more beautiful.

"Good night, Aerith," Roxas said before yawning.

"Good night, my precious Roxas," Aerith responded, watching Roxas until he closed his eyes and she had known he had fallen asleep. Aerith smiled and got into her own bed, pulling the covers over herself and looking up at where Roxas was sound asleep, and Aerith fell asleep after staring at her new friend for what felt like hours...

Many, many days had passed since Roxas had been born into this world from a most glorious rose. Aerith was very pleased with her new companion, and she couldn't ask for a better friend. Roxas was absolutely perfect, there was nothing wrong with him, he had no flaws, and the boy was just so cute, too, being that tiny size! Every day, Aerith would tend to her flowers and tend to Roxas- but the blond was more than happy to just follow Aerith around the cottage and watch what she was doing when she would water her flowers.

They would talk all the time, about so many different things, too. They talked about what they liked, what didn't like, what they dreamed of, and what they wondered. They asked each other questions, they told each other jokes and every evening, Aerith would read Roxas a story from one of her many fairytale books.

Now, not every moment was full of laughter and fun. Aerith told Roxas to never go outside. The boy was far too vulnerable to go out into the wilderness like that. Aerith would tell Roxas that he could get into serious danger if he went outside, being the size that he was. Roxas would do as Aerith said, and whenever Aerith would have to leave the house to go into the village, Roxas would become very lonely and sad, wishing he could go outside and explore the beautiful forest and country side from where he would sit on the window seal.

Roxas sighed gently as he sat there where he always would sit whenever Aerith would go into the village, looking out at the magnificent country side that looked far enormous for Roxas. The tall green grass looking inviting, and the trees looking so tall and so wonderful and it was times like this when Roxas wished he could fly. He would be safe if he could fly because then he could just go out for a little fly when Aerith was gone and come back before she came home. And then there was that forest that looked absolutely gargantuan to Roxas, and to normal sized people it _was_ huge.

But Roxas wouldn't disobey Aerith. He just wouldn't, because he loved her too much and he knew just how much Aerith loved him and he didn't want to leave her alone and have her lonely and sad and missing Roxas. But, oh, how Roxas saw the world before his eyes, calling for him to go and explore and just live his life out there. He wondered, what could be so dangerous for Roxas to come across per say if he _did_ go out there?

Roxas gave a soft sigh again, resting his cheek in one of his hands as he continued to stare blankly out at the open space, loving the way the sun sprayed against the green grass and whenever the breeze would blow it would create a pretty ripple in the grass, reminding Roxas of water. But suddenly, Roxas thought he saw something just now. Something sparkling just out in the tall grass, something shining. It was there one moment and then gone the next.

Roxas looked alert, staring out at the country side and wondering what that was he just saw. It looked like...a tiny person with wings. Roxas blinked in surprise when he saw the same shining sparkle go by again, and Roxas caught a color. Red.

Roxas's heart actually gave a little jump when he saw it again, and he was very certain that whatever that was that it was a small little person like him, except it had wings. The corner of Roxas's mouth curled up slightly, but he flinched when he heard the front door of Aerith's cottage open and then close. Roxas looked up and saw Aerith set down her basket which was filled with different assortments of fruit.

"Hello, Roxas," Aerith smiled, untying the pink ribbon of her sun hat off from under her chin and setting it on the table nearby.

"Hello," Roxas smiled. He quickly returned his attention back to the open country side, hoping he would see that little humanoid creature he saw before, but he stared and stared- stared for probably about five more minutes and he didn't see it again.

"Are you hungry, Roxas?" came Aerith from nearby, snapping Roxas out of his alert watching.

"Um, n-no, not yet," Roxas replied, barely glancing over his shoulder and intently watching the grassy country side in front of him.

Aerith noticed Roxas wasn't exactly paying much attention to her, and the brunette didn't really like that very much, so she slowly walked over to where Roxas was still watching the outside very carefully. Aerith managed a giggle at how Roxas's eyes were wide and staring outside.

"What're you looking at?" asked Aerith, resting her elbows on the window seal where Roxas stood.

"I thought I saw a little person...kind of like me a minute ago," Roxas replied instantly. "I saw red, but that's all..."

Aerith raised her eyebrows and hummed gently, smiling slightly when she heard Roxas sigh in frustration, wishing he could see whatever that was come back again.

"Well, it's getting a bit chilly," Aerith said. "I'm going to close the window." Aerith reached up and pulled the window down, an instant glass shield covering Roxas from whatever was out there that had Roxas's attention like a cat watching it's prey.

But Roxas soon forgot about whatever was out in the grass when Aerith began cooking and telling Roxas about what happened out in the village. The two happily shared their stories about what happened and enjoyed an apple pie that Aerith baked, Roxas having to eat a very, very small slice that was just the right size for him. By the time they had finished eating and talking, it was night time and Roxas always demanded to hear one of those lovely fairytale stories that Aerith would read to him every night.

"Okay, okay," Aerith laughed as Roxas begged for a story.

"A really good one, alright?" Roxas said firmly as he got himself comfortable in his perfect sized bed by the window seal.

"Okay, I'll read you this one," Aerith said, stepping over to the window seal and sitting down in a chair, placing one book in her lap.

Roxas leaned over to get a good look at the cover. It had two people on the front. A man and a woman, both were beautiful and they looked like they were far in love with each other. It was a romance fairytale, Roxas could tell, and he didn't know why but he really liked the romantic stories.

It was about a princess, and a prince who had a spell cast upon him by the evil wizard so that every time the princess would see the prince she would see somebody else but never her love who she wished to marry. Roxas thought marriage sounded wonderful- two people who loved each other very much spending the rest of their lives together in loving and romantic way? Roxas would always sigh at the thought.

Once the story had finished - the prince, of course, got the spell taken off him and he had defeated the evil wizard and married the princess - Roxas sighed in happiness at the good ending and sat up more in his bed.

"Aerith?" Roxas asked softly.

"Yes?" Aerith replied back, turning her attention fully to the blond boy by the window seal.

"Have you ever been in love before?"

Aerith's eyes widened when she heard Roxas say this. Roxas had never asked if Aerith had been in love before, when indeed she had.

"Well, yes, Roxas," Aerith said with a slight smile. "In fact, me and him were betrothed. We couldn't _wait_ to get married. We wanted to have children and grow a perfect, wonderful family together out here in the country."

Roxas was smiling with nearly every word, loving the way this real story sounded to him.

"Where is he now?" Roxas asked, still smiling.

Aerith wasn't smiling, and Roxas wondered why. Aerith sighed gently and shook her head.

"He passed away," she said. "He had...a horrible disease that slowed his heart and eventually killed him... I had hoped that we would be married before he passed, but it never happened. I've never been a bride before, and I've always dreamed of being married."

Aerith looked away from Roxas, feeling her eyes become watery and she reached up to wipe at her eyes with the back of her hand. Roxas sat up a bit more, his own eyes compassionate and concerned. He went to stand up and go to her, but Aerith had already risen.

"But, it doesn't matter anymore, Roxas," Aerith said, her voice somewhat shuddering. "Because I have you now, and you'll always be with me."

Aerith smiled a small smile and it still made Roxas think that she missed her fiancée. The blond nodded and smiled a little himself.

"Aerith, I'm sorry..."

Aerith paused a moment and shook her head, "You don't have to apologize; you did nothing wrong. You're perfect, Roxas." Aerith turned and smiled at Roxas again. "Go ahead and go to sleep, I'm sure you're tired."

Aerith reached for the book she had read to Roxas and was going to put it away, when Roxas called for her to wait. Aerith blinked and turned around to look at Roxas.

"Um...could you leave it here? I kind of want to look at the pictures again..."

Aerith chuckled quietly and nodded, placing the book on the window seal and opening it up to the first page so Roxas could easily turn it if he wanted to so he could see the other pages. Roxas looked up at Aerith and smiled happily and nodded. "Thanks!"

"I'll leave a candle lit so you can see the pictures, but don't stay up too long, okay?" Aerith said, receiving a cheery okay in reply.

After Aerith had closed her eyes and gone to sleep, Roxas had gotten out of his bed and went straight over to the large romance book, with all his strength pushing up the next page where he saw the handsome prince on the first page. Roxas sighed and knelt down on the page, looking at the nice drawing of the prince and Roxas felt his heart flutter as he thought he saw the prince was looking at him from the book.

"I wonder what it'd be like to love somebody," Roxas asked himself quietly so Aerith wouldn't wake. "Or...for somebody to love _me_." Roxas was now laying on his back on top of the book, with his hands behind his head, eyes settling on the starry sky that he could see throught he glass of the window.

He knew he had the love of Aerith and he love he gave her, but...it wasn't the same. Roxas had heard story after story of these romance tales of a couple falling in love and getting married, and Roxas just had the great wonder of ever falling in love with someone...especially a handsome prince...

Roxas felt his eyes become heavy as he continued watching the dark sky that was lit with stars. It was so relaxing and peaceful with these thoughts that ran through his head. But then his eyes widened when he saw something bright red and glowing fly right through his vision in the sky.

Roxas blinked and sat up, hurriedly jumping to his feet and running towards the glass of the window and staring out, looking around for that red gleam again that he saw earlier.

"What are you?" Roxas almost sang to himself, looking around desperately for that red glow again.

And he saw it again, and it was getting closer and closer. Roxas stepped back away from the window when he saw the red glow become brighter and brighter and Roxas actually gasped out in surprise when he saw the red glow stop right in front of the window, Roxas squeaking in surprise and falling over.

There, standing just outside the window, was a young man with fiery red hair, so fiery that it looked like it actually might be hot to the touch. That wasn't what was making Roxas's eyes wide however. It was the fact that this young man was small, just like Roxas. He was emitting little red sparkles that fell from him every time the transparent wings that were coming out of his back would flutter.

Roxas looked at his face finally, and his heart actually fluttered a bit when he saw his face, and just how handsome he was, truly. His eyes were piercing, but a lovely, emerald green, and just underneath each eye was a little tattoo that looked like a droplet of water. Roxas was lost in the redhead's eyes and he just couldn't seem to stand back up.

"Are you okay?"

Roxas blinked when he heard the red-haired fairy talk to him suddenly, and Roxas jumped in surprise, seeing him lean in close and press his hands over the glass of the window and peering inside. Roxas didn't say anything still, but he did actually stand up this time. He glanced over at Aerith, sound asleep in her bed, and wondered what he should do right now. He had a young, handsome fairy standing on the window seal in front of him, and he was the exact same size as Roxas, and he was staring right at Roxas, a little smile playing at his lips, eyes wide and looking very interested in Roxas.

"Well, I guess you're okay then, because you're standing," the red-haired fairy laughed gently.

Roxas _still_ said nothing, but he wished he could, very badly, but he didn't know what to say!

"Can you come outside?" he asked, smiling gently.

Roxas actually did something and he shook his head, obeying Aerith's rules by not going outside.

"Oh come on," said the redhead. "Why can't you? It's so nice this time of night. Oh, I bet I know why. You can't open the window. Here, I'll open it--"

"No!" Roxas spoke out suddenly.

"So you _can_ talk!" the redhead smiled, very relieved that this boy could make noise. "Oh thank goodness, I'm so glad you can!"

"Don't open the window..." Roxas whispered desperately.

The redhead blinked his green orbs in curious wonder as of why not, "How come, huh?"

"I'm...not allowed to go outside..." Roxas replied slowly, nervously shuffling his feet.

The redhead actually smiled and laughed a bit, obviously finding this rule to be absolutely ridiculous as he leaned in as close to the window as possible. Roxas stepped closer to the window, leaning forward himself, seeing how close they were together and that the glass was their only obstacle to closing the gap in between them.

"Do you honestly want to stay inside your whole life?" the redhead asked, staring directly into Roxas's beautiful blue eyes.

Roxas had one of his hands pressed against the glass of the window, blinking when he saw the fairy press his hand right against where Roxas's hand was, wishing he could intertwine their fingers together. Roxas gave a soft little shudder, swearing he actually felt the heat of the fairy's hand against his own palm.

"No...I don't..." Roxas admitted aloud, shaking his head slightly. "Who...are you?"

"Me?" asked the redhead. "I'm Prince Axel- prince of all the fairies."

"You're a prince!?" Roxas cried, jutting forward slightly so that his forehead bonked against the glass slightly. Roxas winced and pressed his fingers to where the glass had his forehead, rubbing it to soothe the slight pain that was there.

Axel chuckled gently when he heard Roxas whimper gently at the pain that was created from that little bitty bonk, "Hee, you're really cute, you know?"

Roxas blinked and looked back at Axel when he said this, his heart banging hard against his ribcage and he stepped back slightly, his cheeks staining a very pretty pink. Axel noticed Roxas's flushed expression and proudly crossed his arms and smiled.

Roxas continued to simply stare at Axel through the glass of the window, and he couldn't take his eyes away from the handsome face of this fairy, who was a prince. Maybe...this was the person Roxas had been waiting for. He was a prince, and he had just called Roxas cute. Maybe this young man would be Roxas's prince, _his_ prince, like all of the heroic, handsome ones from the fairytales Aerith always read to him. For the first time, Roxas smiled that gorgeous smile of his, showing his white teeth and giggling sweetly.

Axel's eyes actually widened the slightest bit when he saw Roxas's smile, his own heart fluttering high, cheeks feeling warm, neither of them able to take their eyes off each other. Axel found himself falling for this little blond beauty standing before him, and he couldn't stop staring at that cute little face Roxas had, and how he wished to kiss those deep, soft looking lips Roxas had.

"And...who are you?" asked Axel, wishing to know this boy's name.

"M-My name is...Roxas..." the blond replied back to Axel, a smile catching his lips again.

Axel grinned widely, loving the boy's name already. It was beautiful, and it fit Roxas so well he couldn't comprehend it. Axel repeated it again and again, Roxas blushing darkly nearly every time Axel would say it. Axel couldn't stop saying Roxas's name, it was just _so_ beautiful and perfect...

"I love it..." Axel said, leaning in towards the glass again, smiling charmingly.

Roxas felt a tingle go up his spine and he swallowed thickly. He gave another pretty smile and said a timid sounding thank you before having to advert his eyes elsewhere, too nervous to stare at Axel anymore.

"You're not a fairy, are you?" Axel asked, tilting his head to the side.

Roxas fiddled with his fingers together and shook his head, "I don't...think I'm a fairy. I don't have any wings, so how could I be?"

"Okay, you're right," Axel chuckled, scratching the back of his fiery head. "But it does make me wonder. Hm, it doesn't really matter... Can't you come outside, Roxas?"

The blond looked down and swallowed thickly, looking back at Aerith again, wondering if he should or not, obey Aerith's rule of not going outside or disobey it and go outside with the prince of Roxas's dreams. Roxas sighed and shook his head, "No. I can't."

Axel's face softened, but in a sad, disappointed sort of way, and he sighed, shaking his head himself. "That's totally unfair. Keeping a pretty thing like you locked up inside all the time. Roxas...you're missing so much out here..."

Roxas's eyebrows rose a tad bit and he swallowed more, fiddling with the hem of his shirt and feeling his heart practically crack in half when he realized he really couldn't go outside. But...what if Aerith was right? Right that there was so many dangers out there that wished to harm poor, little, innocent Roxas. What if...Prince Axel was one of those dangers?

"It's okay..." Axel suddenly said, leaning more against the glass again and peering inside. "I won't make you come outside if you can't--"

"No, no, I want to..." Roxas disagreed instantly. "I...want to more than anything in the world. I've always wanted to know what it was like to go outside. It's just...that I would be breaking a promise to someone I care deeply for..."

"Care deeply for?" Axel repeated, sounding instantly jealous by this. "Who are they?"

"My best friend, Aerith," Roxas replied. "I've known her for such a long time it seems and I don't want to lose her. She said that it's dangerous to go outside, and I trust Aerith...she's all I've known."

"Well...you know _me _now," Axel said, staring at Roxas with those amazing emerald eyes.

"Y-Yes..." Roxas said, blushing lightly. "And...I want to go outside with you very badly, but...I can't...I just can't."

Axel sighed again, crossing his arms and looking away from Roxas, thinking for a moment of how to solve this without Roxas getting in trouble. He wanted Roxas to come outside probably more than the blond wanted to go outside. Axel wanted to touch the boy's hands and push their fingers together. He wanted to gain the trust from the beautiful little boy and hold him in his arms, pick him up and fly over the meadows and watch Roxas's excitement of being up so high. He wanted to see Roxas's face, asking and needing for physical love and attention. He wanted to say that this pretty blond boy was his. Axel wanted this boy, and he wanted him so very badly.

"Don't worry," Axel said with a determined expression. "I'll come visit you. Every night, okay?"

Roxas looked up with a hopeful expression when he heard this, eyes wide and smiling, soon his lips grinning brightly again, "Okay."

Axel smiled widely himself, very happy he could come back and talk to this gorgeous young boy again and again. Axel hoped that, eventually, he would be able to get Roxas to come outside, and without feeling bad about disobeying Aerith's orders.

The two were thinking the exact same thing as they continued to share their lives with one another, and that thought was how much they wanted to be together and to touch each other's hands, able to feel their presence there right next to them. It was such a strong want that Axel was afraid he might have to kidnap this little boy, but he didn't want to scare Roxas, he wanted Roxas to love Axel as much as Axel loved Roxas, and Axel was in luck, because Roxas was falling for Axel as well.

"Oh shoot," Axel said, standing up after he had been sitting down and talking with Roxas. "It's really late... I need to get back home, my parents aren't gonna be happy."

"Wait, Axel, don't leave!" Roxas gasped, standing up quickly and pressing himself up against the glass again.

Axel turned and smiled at Roxas, pressing his hand against the glass where Roxas's hand was like before, and he even pressed his forehead against the glass where Roxas's forehead was pressed there.

"I'll be back, Roxas," Axel smiled sweetly. "Don't you worry. I'll be back first thing tomorrow night..."

Roxas smiled when he heard this, nodding his head and sighing happily, "Okay, Axel. I can't wait..."

Axel grinned widely when he heard Roxas say this and he nodded, rising fully and turning away from the beautiful blond he had just fallen for, "Don't go anywhere, Roxas." And then, Axel took off into the night air, red sparkles fluttering off his wings, the red glow fading further and further away, Roxas standing on his tip-toes to try and watch Axel for as long as he could until he was completely gone from his sight.

Roxas gave a happy sounding giggle, holding his hands together and blushing as he remembered Axel, and how charming and handsome and sweet he was, and how much he wanted to spend time with Roxas and never leave him. Roxas wished he could go outside and be with Axel out in the open where he felt free, where he could press himself against Axel and nuzzle him and hear words of love whispered in his ear. Roxas fell onto his bed by the window seal, wrapping his arms around his pillow and squeezing it tightly, giggling foolishly into the pillow as he continued to remember his and Axel's time together. But then, Roxas wondered why he had fallen for Axel so very soon like this? He had only known him for a short while...and yet, it felt like an eternity to Roxas, and he wished so badly to go outside and live with Axel forever and ever.

Roxas sighed happily at the thought, anxiously waiting for tomorrow night to come so he could see Axel again and have more and more conversations with him, and to just see his handsome face. Oh, Roxas couldn't wait. Roxas soon fell asleep with these wonderful thoughts of Axel in his head, dreaming of what it would be like to go outside and live with the fairy prince...

Sure enough, every night, Axel, the fairy prince, would come and visit Roxas, and the two would stay up and talk for hours, much like how Roxas would talk with Aerith for a long time, but now, it was truly different. Roxas was talking with someone he was in love with, someone who was exactly like him... Axel was perfect for Roxas and the blond knew it, and so did Axel. They would talk through the glass of the window and every time Axel would ask if Roxas would come outside with him, and as much as Roxas craved this, as much as he wished and dreamed and prayed and wanted more than anything in the world, he would always have to say no. And every time Axel would fly away from Roxas's window, Roxas would feel his heart ache for Axel to come back and hear those words that made Roxas nearly cry every time he heard them...

_I love you...Roxas..._

So this was what it was like to be in love? Just like how Roxas had heard from all of those stories. Roxas was no princess or anything, but Axel was really a prince, and he was a fairy! This meant something to Roxas, and the blond knew it was destiny and he wanted so badly to go outside and just hug Axel and nuzzle him and hear those beautiful words Axel would say every time he'd come and visit him. Roxas hadn't told Aerith about Axel's visits at all, and he wondered if he should. He felt like he was doing something wrong by keeping this secret from the first person he ever truly loved. Roxas just acted like that all he loved was Aerith, but now Roxas loved Axel and he couldn't help but to just want to be with Axel more than he did with Aerith. Roxas hadn't feeling that way because he loved Aerith so much, too.

It was currently night time, and Aerith had just finished reading Roxas a story, Aerith was noticing that Roxas was demanding a frequent amount of love stories every time they'd read together, and Aerith wondered about that. Roxas was perched by the window seal, eyes wide and looking around for Axel to come that night. Aerith was just about to go to sleep when she noticed Roxas wasn't already asleep in his bed and she tilted her head to the side curiously.

"Roxas? Are you okay?" Aerith asked.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Roxas replied, giving a reasurring smile to Aerith. "I just want to stare at the stars for a while, is all."

Aerith understood and smiled, laying down and quickly falling asleep, and shortly after, there was Prince Axel again, landing gracefully at the outside edge of the window seal, pressing his hand against the glass and smiling in at Roxas, that charming smile that made Roxas blush.

"Hey, Roxas..." Axel spoke gently through the glass.

"Axel, I'm so glad you're here," Roxas said happily, stepping over to the glass and pressing his hand where Axel's hand was. "I missed you..."

"I missed you like crazy..." Axel chuckled, fingers tightening over the glass that held his beautiful Roxas away from him.

Axel had been coming to see Roxas for up to three weeks now, and it was truly obvious that the two were deeply in love with each other. Most of the time, they would just sit there and stare at each other, with their hands pressed against the glass, saying a few loving words every moment or so. Roxas's heart ached to go outside, and he felt like his heart was going to absolutely burst.

"Roxas..." Axel breathed through the glass. "Come outside...won't you? Please?"

Roxas sighed, looking into Axel's pleading green gaze and he felt his head shake again and he looked down in sadness, his heart ripping in two. "I'm sorry... I just...can't."

Axel moved closer to the window, trying to get as close to Roxas as possible, hand pressed firmly against the glass, "Roxas. Roxas, look at me."

Roxas lifted his head to look at Axel, and to Axel's horrible and painful surprise he saw tears in Roxas's beautiful eyes. His heart broke as well to see Roxas look so saddened and it was times like this when he wished he could just reach out and wipe away those tears that would spill down his lovely cheeks.

"Roxas..." Axel breathed, utter passion in his voice. "Roxas, Roxas...oh, Roxas..."

Roxas smiled slightly and he closed his eyes, sighing and feeling weightless. He imagined him and Axel outside together, and Roxas had wings and both of them were flying together over the meadows in loving harmony, their hands held tightly together in a loving lock.

"Yes..." Roxas spoke gently as Axel repeated his name over and over.

"Roxas...I _love_ you..."

Roxas opened his eyes and felt more tears rush down his face, and his heart was hurting to the point of pure pain. Roxas couldn't stand it anymore... He couldn't take this aching pain in his chest any longer, he needed to be with Axel. He _needed_ to be. Roxas reached up and wiped at his eyes and gave Axel that beautiful smile that Axel would always sigh over.

"I...I'll come outside..."

Axel was extremely shocked to hear Roxas say this, in fact, he blinked over and over, staring at Roxas, his face easily saying "are you serious?" Roxas simply nodded, waiting for Axel to do something. The redhead grinned and stood up, nodding his head, his own green eyes slightly damp. The redhead jumped up, wings fluttering as he reached for the edge of the window seal, and, with strength that Roxas thought Axel didn't have, was slowly lifting the window up off the ledge, an opening becoming wider and wider at the bottom.

Roxas watched as then Axel had successfully lifted the window all the way up, creating plenty of room for Roxas to step out into the open. Roxas felt the breeze blow over him and he shuddered, closing his eyes, the sleeves of his shirt billowing out in the gentle wind.

"Roxas."

Roxas opened his eyes and looked up, seeing Axel standing right in front of him. Roxas gave a silent gasp, seeing Axel standing there, and Roxas could reach out and touch him if he wanted to. Roxas looked up at Axel's face, seeing the emerald orbs glinting with much relief that he had Roxas outside now and that he could pull him into his arms at any moment. But before Axel could move, Roxas had moved and he was clinging to Axel very suddenly. Axel felt his cheeks heat up when his beautiful Roxas did this, wrapping his arms tightly around Axel's thin waist and nuzzling into his stomach, Axel felt chills run up his back.

"Roxas..." Axel whispered, wrapping his own protective arms around the blond.

They had waited what seemed like years to touch each other like this, and boy was it absolutely amazing. Each of them felt like they were going to heaven, it was so wonderful, neither of them could stand it. After a very long moment, Roxas had finally pulled away, looking up at Axel with that cute, _beautiful_ little smile that made Axel sigh deeply. Why hadn't he found this gorgeous boy before? And why did it have to be so long until he could embrace him like this? It was paradise.

"Roxas..." Axel spoke gently. "Let me be your wings."

Roxas blushed and smiled, nodding his head, "Yes. I want to have an amazing adventure with you, Axel."

Axel chuckled softly, "Haha, good, then." The redhead suddenly leaned down to scoop Roxas into his arms so quickly Roxas barely had time to think and wonder what just happened, squeaking in surprise as Axel held him so carefully in his arms, like a newborn baby Axel held Roxas so delicately he would never drop him. Roxas was blushing so darkly he could feel it, and Roxas watched with a leaping heart as Axel flew out into the night sky, his red glow sparkling beautifully behind him.

Roxas gasped as Axel soared higher and higher into the air, Roxas's eyes wide with a smile on his face of much excitement as Axel continued to fly higher and hold Roxas in his arms.

"Axel, this is amazing!" Roxas cried out as he looked below him. He saw the village below him and his house growing smaller and smaller, and now they were flying over the beautiful meadow and forest, the wind blowing through Roxas's hair, sending shivers running all over Roxas's body. He felt like a bird this was so amazing.

"Axel, this is wonderful..." Roxas spoke gently, resting his head against Axel's side. The redhead laughed gently, holding his Roxas very protectively against his frame.

"Oh, Roxas, I'm just so glad to have you in my arms..." Axel sighed, pressing his nose into Roxas's hair and pausing a moment to press his lips against the top of Roxas's head. Roxas felt this and his eyes widened just a bit, his cheeks so very dark.

They had flown so very high, and now they were hovering in front of the giant moon, Roxas looking up at Axel with practically sparkling eyes. Both of them got lost in each other's eyes again, and soon Axel had to say something, or do something in this case. He needed to close that gap, finally close it between both of their needing lips.

"Roxas..." Axel whispered gently. "I love you so much... I'll never let you go."

Roxas shuddered and smiled up at Axel, and he too soon realized that this glass window that had blocked them from each other was free and open, and the gap could be closed with their lips pressing together. Both of them knew that was what needed to happen, and so Axel began to lean down, planning to capture Roxas's lips in the most passionate kiss he had ever given in his life...

Before they could share their first kiss together, something horrible had happened. Something huge and silver had gripped Axel's arms and was jerking him back and away from Roxas, causing Axel to yell out in pain and accidentally drop Roxas.

"AXEL!" Roxas screamed out as Axel dropped Roxas.

What had grabbed Axel was much older man than Axel, his long silver hair matching with the silver of his bat wings that were stretched out wide under his arms, it's piercing orange eyes looking down at Roxas. But far before Axel could fly after Roxas, the silver-haired man had dived after Roxas, flying quickly down after him and grabbing one of the blond's flailing arms and throwing Roxas roughly over one shoulder.

"A-Axel! Help! Please, Axel!"

Axel quickly heard Roxas's cries and searched frantically for where that silver-haired man with the wings under his arms had gone to. His shoulders were bleeding from where the man had grabbed him with his claw like feet. Axel then spotted them, flying quickly towards the dark forest. Axel swiftly caught up with them, reaching under his tunic to pull out a sharp looking dagger, reaching the bat man up close.

"Let him go! Now!" shouted Axel, holding out his dagger. "Or I will stick this in your heart!"

However, what Axel got was not the response he expected. In fact, he merely chuckled and glanced back at Axel, stopping in mid-flight to turn around and looking at Axel, "You can have anyone you desire, Prince Axel, now let me have the one wingless fairy to myself."

"Not a chance!" Axel roared. "Put Roxas down, NOW!"

Roxas was panicking. This must've been what Aerith was talking about. Dangers like this, where he would be taken away from his beloved Axel by some stranger.

The silver-haired man merely chuckled again, "Oh, you truly frighten me... If you wish to fight me all you need to do is say so. We must fight over who wins the beautiful boy."

Roxas struggled underneath the bat man's grip he had which was like a lock over his waist. He couldn't see Axel's face and he was wondering what Axel was going to do. He'd fight for him, wouldn't he?

"Fine," Axel growled. "Just put Roxas down where it's safe!"

"What? You don't think I'm stupid do you?" chuckled the silver-head. "Why on earth would I put him down?"

"Bastard! You expect me to fight you while you're holding Roxas?!" Axel shouted.

"Of course I don't," the silver-haired bat grinned, showing his fangs. "I expect you to give up..."

"Axel!" Roxas cried desperately. "I'm scared, please do something!"

Axel stared at the silver-haired bat, gripping the dagger in his hands very tightly, his knuckles turning a horrible pale. The redhead didn't know what to do. He wasn't going to let Roxas go. He had this already planned out, didn't he?

Axel gritted his teeth and suddenly lunged towards the silver-haired male, who chuckled, his orange eyes glinting cruelly. Axel yelled out with his dagger pointed forward, intent on stabbing him in the heart where he had mentioned earlier. But luck was not on Axel's side, as suddenly the silver-haired male had removed a long, much bigger sword from under his wing on his other arm, and this suddenly caused Axel's eyes to widen in shock as the sword was pushed straight through Axel's shoulder and out the other side, damaging one of the redhead's wings when it went out the back of his shoulder.

Axel cried out in pain as this happened, blood dripping much, much more than before when the bat man had grabbed his shoulders with his clawed feet. Drops of blood had dripped onto his wings and it was now running down the front of his chest and side.

Roxas happened to be struggling enough to look up and over his shoulder, eyes widening in absolute horror at what he saw. "AXEL! NO!"

Axel couldn't stay in the air, his wings were broken. The redhead was starting to fall, as much as he was trying to stay in the air, he could not. The silver-haired bat gave a low laugh as Axel began to fall to the ground, Roxas's eyes wide as he continued to scream out Axel's name, tears flooding out of his eyes as he watched Axel descend towards the ground.

"NO! AXEL!" Roxas screamed, struggling as hard as he could. "Please! Let me go! The fall will kill him! PLEASE!"

The silver-haired bat merely chuckled deeply and shrugged, "Fairies are stronger than you think, my precious. However, he seemed pretty out of it to me... I feel sorry for him... He couldn't protect you- he let you go. Some love that is."

Roxas couldn't see Axel anymore. His body was gone from his sight and was somewhere in the tall strands of grass below. Roxas sobbed loudly, still struggling very hard under the silver-haired bat's hold on him, Roxas's fingers gripping at the silver-head's back, clawing and fighting all he could to try and get away.

"Axel! Please, PLEASE! Don't be dead! You promised you wouldn't let me go! Axel! AXEL!"


	2. Chapter II

-1Hope seemed to be lost for Roxas as he was carried into the dark regions of the enormous forest. The tears would not cease, and his heart would not stop breaking. Roxas struggled pathetically under the large winged man's arm, desperate to try and get away from him and back to where he belonged, with Axel... But it seemed impossible for with every beg, plea and cry Roxas gasped out to the silver-haired bat he would immediately decline his desperation to go and find his love.

"Please! I beg of you!" Roxas wailed, banging his fists as hard as he could on the man's back. "I've got to go and find him!"

"No matter how much you say that I will never let you go, my precious," the silver-head hissed back, squeezing Roxas's midsection tightly and causing Roxas to squeak painfully. "You are mine now and the fairy prince will never see you again, so if I were you I would just forget about Prince Axel."

"Never!" shrieked Roxas, his eyes foggy with the tears that were still there. "I love him! More than anyone!"

"Well..." Roxas's capturer chuckled lowly, "...you'll soon have your mind changed for you."

Considering the position Roxas was in, he couldn't see where he was going. All he could see was where he had just been, tear filled eyes straining to look beyond the trees and maybe, just maybe, he would see that beautiful red glimmer come out from behind the trees and Roxas knew it would be Axel coming to rescue him and everything would be alright again.

But it never happened. Axel wasn't appearing out from behind the dense trees, there was no hope that Axel was going to rescue him...or hope that he was even alive...

Roxas gasped softly when he found himself covered in darkness. His eyes widened, a few stray tears trickling out of the corners of his eyes, his big blue orbs searching around in the shadows for any stray of light that was in this dark cave.

It was so quiet, too. There was no noise whatsoever, only the sound of the gentle wind brushing by them as the silver-head glided lower and lower. Roxas tried his hardest to look over his shoulder and look forward to wherever this man was taking them, and from what he could make out was that the bat-winged man was soaring straight down towards a small opening on the side of a large cave wall.

They reached the opening far too soon and the silver-head came to a flying stop on the floor of the small cave, and, not very gently at all, he dropped Roxas down onto the stone floor. Roxas grunted in pain when he fell onto his back, his eyes squeezing out a few stray tears that then rolled past his lashes and down his pale cheeks. When his blue eyes opened up again, he immediately saw the tall silver-haired man standing before him, staring down at the blond with narrowed orange orbs that looked quite terrifying to Roxas.

Roxas hurriedly sat up and began scooting back away from him as fast as he could, but it honestly did no good when Roxas felt his back press against another stone wall, the blond gasping in shock when he realized there was really nowhere else he could go. The blond felt tingles run up his spine when he noticed that the silver-haired male was simply standing there staring at Roxas, a look of impure delight in his eyes as his piercing orange gaze roamed over every inch of Roxas's body.

"Welcome to your new home, my precious one..." spoke the silver-haired bat, offering a rather mocking bow with one of his wings. "My name is Xemnas, and from now on you're going to live with me and you are only going to love me."

"Wh-what?" Roxas gasped out, except it was more in a whisper.

Xemnas's lips curled into a smirk as he slowly stepped towards Roxas more, wings folded carefully over his shoulders, "I have never seen a more beautiful creature in my life..." Very slowly, Xemnas knelt down onto his knees in front of Roxas- he was still much taller than Roxas even when he was just kneeling. Roxas's eyes widened in fear as Xemnas slowly reached out to grasp Roxas's chin, the blond feeling his sharply pointed claws brush over his flawless skin.

"Do you wish to tell your new love your name, dear one?"

"Never!" Roxas spat, gaining enough courage to actually slap Xemnas's hand away. "My name is only for Axel to hear!"

Xemnas stood when Roxas said this and also rejected his hand, his eyes narrowed angrily for a few moments before his mouth smirked again, "No matter. I believe I heard your love say it... Wasn't it...Roxas?"

Roxas flinched gently when he heard Xemnas speak his name, his eyes widening sadly when he realized that this man could say his name and abuse it with his cruel tongue. "I will...never give you my love..."

At hearing this, Xemnas immediately frowned, and he looked quite angered by Roxas's words. Xemnas gave a low growl and reached out to grasp Roxas's shining golden hair, gripping the spikes tightly in his fist. Roxas let out a sharp cry when his hair was pulled so harshly, a few more tears escaping his eyes as he felt the horrible searing pain from his head as Xemnas jerked him forward and made Roxas look up at him.

"You should be grateful I saved your life..." Xemnas growled deeply, eyes staring deeply into Roxas's eyes. "Without me you would've died...along with your beloved Prince Axel."

"Axel isn't dead!" Roxas exclaimed. "And I would rather die than be forced to love somebody by the likes of you!"

Now Xemnas could really tell that this boy wasn't about to accept his love and want of staying here with him. The boy was going to be stubborn and hard-headed, and Xemnas would be sure to fix that with a few disciplinary actions...

But also from the fact that Roxas was this stubborn and said words like that to him made the winged man all the more angry, and angry to the point where he wanted to make Roxas regret saying those words.

"That was the wrong thing to say...dear one..." Xemnas murmured, eyes narrow and sharp as his fist tightened a hard hold on Roxas's blond hair. "I would be treating you more decently if you had accepted my hospitality with more gratitude...Roxas..."

"Please...don't say my name...only Axel can say it..." Roxas whimpered, hating as Xemnas jerked the golden hairs in his head roughly.

"Prince Axel is dead!" Xemnas shouted, and with much force he actually shoved Roxas back against the wall again.

Roxas gave a loud and pained cry when he felt his head hit the stone wall once more, giving him a horrible searing pain throughout his head, more tears escaping...not from the pain in his head, but from the words that were yelled at him.

"Axel...isn't dead..." Roxas muttered, rubbing the back of his head as he looked up at Xemnas with those shining tear-filled eyes.

Xemnas stared into that pretty face that looked back up at him with tears in those gorgeous blue eyes and found himself actually aroused by the boy's beauty of just looking up at him with tears running down his face. Roxas felt his cheeks redden in embarrassment of Xemnas just staring at him, and he shuddered nervously and looked away from those piercing orange eyes, only to gently gasp in surprise when he realized Xemnas was standing fully right in front of him again.

"How long will it take me to get it through your head that Prince Axel is dead..." Xemnas growled. "Am I going to have to take you until you bleed for you to realize that?"

Roxas looked up at Xemnas as he said these words, confusion exploding in his brain. Roxas looked highly confused by these words. Take? What did he mean by 'take'? It sounded like it would be taking something away from Roxas, but the blond wasn't totally sure.

Xemnas frowned and pursed his lips when he saw that look of pure confusion on his Roxas's face. He shook his head, dark silver strands falling in front of his eyes for a moment, "Hmm... Maybe taking you would be a little bit too soon, if you didn't even know what it is I am speaking of..."

"What're you talking about?" Roxas gasped out gently, staring up at Xemnas with still nervous eyes. "What do you mean by 'take'?"

Xemnas only smirked and stepped closer to Roxas until Roxas was having to strain his neck to look up at the tall silver-head...he was much taller than Axel, broad-shouldered and very powerful looking, muscles large and strong in his upper body. Roxas felt extremely intimidated all of a sudden by how much bigger this man was compared to him- he only reached to about Xemnas's waist, but with Axel he reached to about the redhead's mid chest.

"I mean take away your virginity...I'm guessing you and Prince Axel didn't do it, did you?" Xemnas asked, sounding agitated when he mentioned Axel.

Roxas tilted his head to the side innocently, blinking his eyes in curious wonder, "No...I don't think so..."

Xemnas smirked, except this time it was much wider and more menacing to little Roxas. He heard the tall male chuckle lowly before saying, "That's good...because I'll be your first then..."

Roxas wasn't too sure if he liked the sound of what Xemnas was talking about at all. He didn't know what he was talking about, but he felt very nervous when he watched Xemnas reach for the buttons and zippers on his trousers.

"I think I'll just do it with that little bad-talking mouth of yours..." Xemnas murmured, a smirk still playing at his lips. "The thought of a beautiful thing like you...oh...I must have it..."

Roxas felt his heart pounding; he was terrified and he had no idea what Xemnas was even speaking. Roxas sat up a bit more and scooted as far back away from Xemnas as he could, too scared to even say anything or do anything for fear of what Xemnas was talking about. Roxas even got the thought that Xemnas was going to kiss his lips that almost touched Axel's but failed terribly when Xemnas had arrived. Roxas actually placed his hands over his mouth in case Xemnas wanted to kiss him, because Roxas still wanted to save it for Axel.

"What're you covering your mouth for, precious one?" Xemnas smiled. "I won't do it too hard... If you obey me and get up onto your knees then everything will go just fine, my beautiful Roxas..."

Roxas winced again when Xemnas spoke his name, and he shook his head when Xemnas told him to get on his knees. He still didn't know what Xemnas was talking about, but he didn't want to get involved in anything that Xemnas was talking about anyways.

"If you disobey me, Roxas...then I will have to force you," Xemnas growled threateningly. "I do not want to have to force you to do this, but I will if you don't on your own..."

Roxas felt very scared suddenly - not that he wasn't already scared - but he didn't want to be forced to do anything he didn't want to do, especially if it had something to do with his mouth, it made him all the more scared. Very slowly, Roxas got onto his knees in front of Xemnas, hands still clamped tightly over his mouth.

Xemnas chuckled and reached out to firmly grip Roxas's wrists and jerk his hands away from the boy's mouth, "If your hands are in the way then I won't be able to do this..." Roxas whimpered as he felt his hands tear away from his mouth and he shuddered nervously and allowed his arms to fall to the side limply, feeling his body giving in for him.

Roxas wasn't about to tell Xemnas that he was saving his first kiss for Axel, because he just knew that Xemnas would kiss him and take away that desire from Roxas. But the next thing he heard Xemnas say made the blond blink in wonder, blue eyes looking up at Xemnas with nervously curious eyes.

"O-Open my mouth...?" Roxas muttered very quietly.

"You're far more innocent than I thought you'd be..." Xemnas grumbled, eyebrow cocking in a rather unamused manner. "I'm not sure if I like this or not... But yes, open your mouth...now."

Roxas gave a hard swallow, fighting the urge to not open his mouth, but the fear washed over his whole being again when he found himself slowly lowering his jaw and opening his mouth just a bit. Xemnas reached down and gripped Roxas's chin, turning his head to the side, "Your mouth is small... Nevertheless, it'll be fun to break you."

Yet another word that entered Roxas's mind that he didn't know what meant. Roxas's eyes widened a bit and he instantly closed his mouth when sudden realization hit him full on. He knew he was supposed to put that in his mouth and he wasn't about to.

"Are you going to have to make me force you, Roxas?" Xemnas growled lowly.

"I'm not...I'm not doing it..." Roxas whispered nervously, looking off to the side in much fear. Tears were already beginning to gather again and appear in the corners of Roxas's eyes.

"Then you don't give me any other choice, dear one..." Xemnas spoke, his voice slow and aggravated sounding.

"Open your mouth, Roxas," Xemnas ordered. "If you don't then you will regret it greatly!"

Roxas felt fresh tears trickle down his face and he slowly opened his eyes and turned back to look at Xemnas, and, very reluctantly, he opened his mouth.

Roxas whimpered in pain and disgust, the tears overflowing his eyes again. He flinched when he felt Xemnas brush his hand gently across Roxas's tear stained cheek, his blue eyes looking up at him with much sadness.

"Tears do not suit you, dear one..." Xemnas murmured. "Yes, you look beautiful always, but crying will not help you... You will soon grow to love this, and of course other things as well."

Roxas released another pained whimper when he heard Xemnas say that he'll soon grown to enjoy it. Roxas refused to believe that he would eventually enjoy this kind of torture and humiliation.

Xemnas stared down at the beautiful golden-haired boy that was creating all of these amazing sensations around him.

Roxas blushed quite darkly at the actions and words Xemnas produced and he squirmed slightly underneath Xemnas's hold, despising this horrible feeling and feeling even more tears run down his cheeks when his mind suddenly adverted back to Axel again and how much he wished he was here...

"You do know that Prince Axel was going to do these things to you, right?" Xemnas said with a smirk, earning quite a surprised look from Roxas. "He was. Once he had gotten you outside he was going to take you."

Roxas whimpered and shook his head slightly, refusing to believe that. He felt tears run past his lashes in large drops and sting his eyes. Axel wasn't going to do that, he wasn't going to!

"Wha-" Roxas gasped but his words were cut off by Xemnas pressing a hand over Roxas's mouth, his large hand effectively blocking out any sound.

"I don't trust you to say anything that just might really make me angry," Xemnas growled into Roxas's ear as he leaned over the blond. "You'll mention that stupid prince again! But I can't take it any longer, you're far too beautiful to simply have you suck me- I've got to be your first before anyone else gets a hold of you!"

"It would be best not to struggle, dear one," Xemnas purred against Roxas's ear, "but scream all you like..."

But right as Xemnas was about to push himself into Roxas he heard a distant sounding noise come from the large outside cave behind him. Xemnas scowled and looked over his shoulder, hearing the sounds of shrill screeches and screams from outside of his personal cave. His orange eyes narrowed when he saw many other humanoid people with large and ugly looking wings fly past his cave opening and fly out into the open under the moonlight.

"Damnit..." Xemnas growled quietly, eyes looking back down at Roxas for a moment. "It seems we'll have to continue when I get back, my precious one..."

Xemnas, with quite an irritable look on his face, slowly pulled away from Roxas and put himself back into his trousers. Roxas let out a shuddering gasp when Xemnas removed his hand from his mouth, the blond falling against the cave floor with an exhausted cry. Xemnas slowly stood to his feet and looked back down at his new companion and smiled slightly, "I'll be returning for you by tomorrow morning, my sweet..."

Roxas slowly shifted so he was sitting up more, hurriedly pulling up his own pants as he watched Xemnas fly away and out of the small cave. Roxas stood to his feet himself and carefully stepped over to the edge of the cave and gazed out of it, eyes widening like saucers when he saw just how incredibly high up he was. He was so high up he couldn't even see the ground.

Roxas gave a shuddering gasp and placed two hands over his heart and felt it pounding. Roxas slowly stepped back away from the cave opening and felt his breath catch in his throat painfully. The tears were returning and there were even more than them than ever as they then proceeded to flood down his cheeks in two equal streams. Roxas then let out a long sob, pressing his face into his hands and crying loudly into them as he then dropped to his knees and rested there.

"Axel...help me! Please!" Roxas cried out aloud, desperate for his voice to be as loud as possible. "He's going to come back, Axel! I'm scared!" Roxas cried and cried, his weeping never slowing to a stop. He knew that Xemnas would be back by dawn, and Roxas knew what would happen once the aggressive silver-haired man would return- he would try to take Roxas again, and Roxas knew what Xemnas was talking about now. Roxas knew exactly what it was and he was terrified, and he didn't want that to happen to him, especially with a man he didn't even know and had...done that horrible thing to Axel.

Roxas shook his head as the thoughts that there was a possibility that Axel was dead, that thought alone making Roxas want to scream in agony. Every time those terrible thoughts would enter Roxas's mind he would shake his head as hard as he could and sometimes even yell out 'stop!' at the top of his lungs and grab at his head harshly.

This was one of those nights that sleep wasn't even an option. Roxas had been sitting in the back corner of the cave for the whole night, legs brought up close to his chest and face hidden as he continued to sob gently. But that was when Roxas suddenly remembered about Aerith- the first person he ever loved and who ever loved him. Roxas bit his bottom lip in a saddening worry of what she must be feeling right now, all alone in that cottage of hers- she was probably crying her eyes out, too in wonder of where her little Roxas had gone.

"I'm sorry, Aerith..." Roxas whispered, his voice hoarse. "I'll probably never see you again...j-just like I'll never see...Axel...again..."

Roxas closed his eyes and felt his heart crack in half, his lip trembling as he felt more tears run down his cheeks. There was no hope left for him. Xemnas would come back the next morning and finally take him and Roxas would have to live in this dark and cold cave for the rest of his life; Xemnas would never let him go outside. Roxas would never see the flowers again, or the grass, or the trees, not to feel the comforting and cool breeze blow over him ever again. But there was still a little ray of hope that Roxas realized as he saw a beam of sunshine come sparkling into the small cave.

Roxas gasped softly and jumped to his feet, rushing to the edge of the cave opening and peering out. He saw the large opening that led to the even bigger cave he was in and he could see the sun. Roxas actually found the edge of his mouth turn up in a small smile. There was still some happiness left over for him after all.

But the sunlight meant Xemnas's soon return and Roxas felt his heart bang in his chest in nothing but pure fear, his feet taking him to the far end of the little cave he resided in. Roxas pressed himself fully against the back wall, his eyes clamped tight shut when he began to hear the ear-ringing screeches of the other bat-people begin to flood into the enormous dark cave outside Xemnas's small cave. Xemnas would be landing back in this cave within moments... Roxas could already feel his heart aching in utter sadness when he began to remember Axel and Xemnas's words about Axel and how Axel had been planning to do those things all along to Roxas... Roxas still refused to believe that because Axel truly loved Roxas and would never wanna hurt him like how Xemnas tried to hurt him last night.

The sound of the shrill cries of the other bat-people was dying away and soon Xemnas would come back, any moment.

But what happened next was anything but Xemnas's return... All Roxas heard was a gasping yell and then a crash.

"WHOA!"

Roxas blinked his eyes open when he heard this gentle sounding voice and then something appear at the cave entrance, Roxas gasping out when he saw the enormous wings like how Xemans had. Roxas closed his eyes again, thinking it was Xemnas but when the crash sounded, Roxas had to open his eyes just to see what had happened.

Somebody was certainly in the cave, but it wasn't Xemnas. It was a young man, a little bit older than Roxas and he was sprawled out on the cave floor- magnificent feathery blue wings folded underneath him and looking quite uncomfortable for him.

Roxas blinked in confusion at the sight he saw and slowly relaxed when he heard the young man groan, slowly sitting up and rubbing his lower back.

"Owww... Jeez...I guess that's what I get for not having a good sleep last night. But it wasn't my fault, those stupid night-flyers will keep anyone up at night."

Slowly, the young man stood to his feet and scratched his strangely styled dirty blond hair. Roxas wished he could find himself to speak but no words were coming out. This guy looked so nice and he had the most beautiful pair of blue wings he had ever seen in his life! It was as beautiful as a bird's wings.

"Well, this definitely isn't the place..." he grumbled, crossing his arms and still not having realized Roxas was there. "Jeez, they're gonna call me such a loser when I get the-" But he had finally turned all the way around and his ocean blue eyes landed on the form of Roxas in the corner of the cave. Roxas flinched when their blue eyes met and he swallowed thickly.

The dark-blond haired boy tilted his head to the side when he saw Roxas and then he said, sounding quite curious by this, "What're you doing here? You're not a bat."

Roxas instantly shook his head when the winged boy said that and finally, words came out of his mouth in almost a yell, "I was kidnapped! One of those bat-people stole me away!"

The boy's blue eyes widened to a degree and he stepped towards Roxas, looking awfully concerned, "Are you okay? I know how cruel these bat-people can be, but kidnapping somebody? That's just foul!"

"You've gotta help me," Roxas begged, praying his hands together in desperation. "He's coming back...and I'm so scared..." More tears trickled down out of Roxas's eyes, and immediately when seeing this the taller blond reacted quickly, reaching out and placing his hands on Roxas's shoulders and causing Roxas to look up with wide blue eyes.

"I'll get you out of here, don't worry," he smiled brightly. "Climb on my back and I'll get you out of here in no time!"

Roxas's eyes widened even more and when hearing this, even more tears escaped the boy's eyes but these were tears of pure happiness and he smiled, reaching up to wipe at his eyes and nod his head, "Thank you...so much..."

"Hurry, okay?" the older blond said, leaning over slightly, indicating for Roxas to get up onto his back. Roxas quickly did so, climbing onto his back and wrapping his arms around the blond's front while the winged male gently gripped Roxas's legs next to his hips.

With a quick little run, the blond had jumped off the egde of the cave and was flapping his huge blue wings, and they were flying away and quickly away from that terrible cave and back out into the open sunlight. And right as they escaped, Xemnas had just returned to his personal cave, eyes searching frantically around for Roxas.

"Where did you go?" he growled deeply, his orange eyes narrowed and full of rage. "Roxas!"

Roxas's bright blue orbs were looking all around him, wide and happy, still full of tears, but just so happy. He was outside and away from that horrible cave and he would hopefully never have to see that horrible Xemnas again.

Not only was he away from that, but he could see the beautiful wonders of the outside world again. And this day was absolutely wonderful as well, because the sunlight was warm and sprayed out against the trees. Roxas glanced down to the ground, seeing the tall grass and large flowers blooming. It reminded him so much of being in the safe regions of his home.

"So, what's your name?" asked the blond with a smile.

"M-My name is Roxas..." Roxas replied a little hesitantly.

"I'm Demyx!" the blond smiled back. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm so glad I could've helped you get out of there, you seemed really torn up about something."

"O-Oh..." Roxas breathed. "D-Did I? I'm sorry..."

"Nothing to apologize for," Demyx said. "Do you wanna talk about anything, Roxas? I'm sure I could help."

Roxas didn't answer immediately, but simply kept his eyes cast somewhere else, mind remembering about Axel again and how much he truly missed him. "I-It's nothing..."

Demyx cocked his mouth when Roxas said nothing was wrong, but he had suspicions. "Maybe some of my friends will be able to help? Do you mind if we take a quick stop to where I'm heading? And then I'll take you back to where you wanna be."

Roxas swallowed and slowly nodded, "Okay..." He decided since Demyx had saved him from Xemnas then he should really return the favor, and maybe these friends of Demyx's would actually really be able to help him with his sadness over Axel.

They had arrived to Demyx's location, and Roxas enjoyed the fly all the way there, eyes staring around him as the beautiful sights of nature passed his blue orbs. Demyx had flown up high towards the treetops and within the thickness of the trees there was a large house in the branches. And all around the enormous house in the trees were many other people like Demyx, except their wings were all different colors and patterns.

Demyx came to a slow stop on one of the branches and carefully set Roxas down, the blond letting go of Demyx and immediately fiddling with his fingers as he stared all around. All of the other people were staring down at Roxas curiously, some with smiles, others with just wide and curious eyes.

"Everyone, this is Roxas," Demyx said, gesturing towards the blond. "I just rescued him from the bats and he says he's lost."

Two other people emerged out of the small group of winged figures- one was male and the other was female. Roxas couldn't take his eyes away from the girl, her wings large and snow white, her eyes big and blue like Roxas's eyes and her hair was a light but soft golden blond. She landed carefully in front of Roxas with a smile.

"Wh-what are you people?" Roxas asked with as much sincerity as he could.

"We're birds," replied the other male, his own big blue wings flapping slightly as he hovered next to Roxas and inspected the boy thoroughly.

"Birds?" Roxas repeated. "You certainly don't look like birds to me."

Demyx laughed and rested down on a branch a little higher than the branch Roxas stood on, "We're the magical kind of birds. I think we're the normal ones, but no one believes us... Roxas, these are my friends Namine and Sora."

"Hello, Roxas," spoke Namine, her white wings looking incredibly soft as well as her voice.

"H-Hi..." Roxas muttered. "So...what kind of birds are you?"

"I'm a swallow," Demyx immediately said, his legs swinging back and forth.

"I'm a blue jay!" Sora said, doing a little spin in the air, his chocolate brown hair falling in front of his eyes some.

"And I'm a dove," Namine said with a kind little voice. "So why were you captured by the bats, Roxas?"

"I...I wasn't really captured...more than I was stolen..." Roxas said, finding himself sitting down on the branch next to Demyx.

"Stolen?" Sora asked, blinking in curiosity. "By who?"

Roxas paused a moment and felt his heart ache again and he looked down, "Prince Axel...of the fairies..."

Almost all of the birds looked a little surprised to hear that from Roxas- and especially a boy who was the size of a fairy and looked like a fairy but had no wings like a fairy.

"You know Prince Axel?" Demyx asked, leaning over and staring into Roxas's eyes.

"W-Well yes..." Roxas responded. "I was living with a friend of mine for a long time and he kept coming and visiting me, and I had never seen anyone like him who was my size. He always told me he...loved me...and I loved him..."

"You were in love with Prince Axel?" Sora asked, mouth agape.

"Well, I can see why..." Namine giggled, her cheeks a light pink. "Roxas is so beautiful!"

Roxas blinked rapidly and found himself blushing darkly, his eyes looking elsewhere from embarrassment. He felt Demyx pat his back gently and Roxas looked up at him and saw that Demyx was smiling kindly.

"Do you wanna continue?" asked Demyx.

Roxas nodded slowly and sighed, "He was always asking for me to come outside...but I couldn't because my friend told me it was dangerous. But after so long I just couldn't take it anymore and I went outside with him and I was finally able to be in Axel's arms."

Namine and Sora both looked extremely interested in Roxas's story, their eyes wide and mouths open just a tad in anticipation.

"But then that's when I got kidnapped," Roxas said. "A bat named Xemnas had come out of nowhere and taken me from Axel. Axel was going to fight for me, but Xemnas had injured him greatly with a sword...and then the last thing I saw was...was Axel falling towards the ground..."

Roxas closed his eyes and felt tears dare to escape his eyes and he whimpered quietly, reaching up to rub at his eyes gently, "Xemnas kept telling me that Axel was d-dead. I didn't wanna believe it...and then he made me do things that I never thought I'd ever do. I was so embarrassed, scared, and broken inside. Xemnas said he wanted to...to..." Roxas just couldn't get the words out past his lips to say to these people, and he felt Demyx stroke his shoulder kindly again and Roxas gave a shudder and spoke once more, "Xemnas said he wanted to...to take me..."

"WHAAAT!" Namine and Sora cried at the same time, both of their bodies lifting off the ground for a moment as they held onto each other.

"What a jerk!" Namine exclaimed. "No one should ever do that to you, Roxas! Ever!"

"Did he...actually...do it, though?" Sora asked, eyes wide and compassionate.

Roxas swallowed and shook his head, "No...thank goodness he didn't... But that's not what worries me. Xemnas had said that Axel was planning on doing those things to me once he had earned my trust and affection."

Everyone paused briefly for a moment and exchanged looks of wonder whether they should say anything or not. Namine swallowed and looked back at Roxas and slowly lifted herself up onto the branch next to Roxas.

"Roxas..." Namine murmured, reaching out to take Roxas's hand. "Prince Axel...well, he has been known for being somewhat of a...a lecher."

"W-What's that?" Roxas asked, almost a little too nervous to ask.

"It means that Axel did want to do those things to you..." Demyx explained, leaning over and staring into Roxas's eyes before he quickly said after that. "But by the way you're speaking it sounds like Axel truly did love you, and it takes a lot for Prince Axel to say he loves somebody."

"So when somebody truly loves somebody else, when they share their feelings in a physical like way then...doing those things that Xemnas almost made you do...are really good," Namine explained, a smile on her lips.

Roxas looked rather shocked to hear this and he looked down and away from anyone, "So...Axel would've...eventually done those things to me, too?"

"Y-Yes," Namine replied. "But he would've done them with love."

Roxas looked up at Namine and stared into her eyes for a moment, seeing her smile nicely up at him in a reassuring way. Roxas looked between all three of the birds and saw that all of their gazes were exactly the same as Namine's; sweet and reassuring that this was true.

"It doesn't matter..." Roxas murmured. "Axel is...gone anyways..."

Either of them exchanged looks together and nodded, Namine reaching out to squeeze Roxas's hand a bit tighter in a warm little touch, "Roxas, Prince Axel is not dead. I guarantee you that he is still alive right now."

Roxas blinked in surprise and looked at her and then in between Demyx and Sora, "R-Really?"

"Yes," Demyx said perkily. "Fairies are extremely powerful! Did Prince Axel ever do anything that was...hmm...or maybe...it surprised you to see how strong he was?"

Roxas blinked and took this into consideration and realized that Demyx was right. Axel had opened the window that set Roxas free into the open with him. That strength was amazing, that a being of Axel's size had managed to pull up that heavy, heavy window.

"Well, see then?" Demyx relied after Roxas explained. "Prince Axel is alive! And I bet'cha anything, Roxas, that he's looking all over for you right now."

Roxas was speechless, and he felt his heart beating so hard in his chest. He continued to look between all of them, still with a look that said 'is it really true?' and they would all smile and nod.

"But how can that be?" Roxas asked. "Xemnas had stabbed him and broken one of his wings so he couldn't be out looking for me."

Demyx heaved a great sigh and crossed his arms, thinking a bit before he snapped his fingers and looked back down at Roxas with a grin, "He just went back to the Realm of the Fairies is all and got his wing mended! Fairies also heal really well, too, so I'm sure he'll be up in the air searching all over for you again!"

Roxas hesitated a moment and stared at Demyx for a long moment, "Do you think that...you could take me to the Realm of the Fairies, Demyx?"

"Ohhh, I don't know, Roxas..." Demyx said, sounding a little nervous. "Getting to the Realm of the Fairies is...almost impossible if you're not a fairy."

Roxas tilted his head to the side and wondered aloud, "Why not?"

"Because only fairies know how to get there," Namine provided. "They feel the magic of their hearts lead them to the Realm of the Fairies, and fairies and fairies only are able to do just that sort of magic."

Roxas sighed softly and looked down, concentrating hard. How was he going to see Axel again? Axel probably assumed that Roxas was still with Xemnas right now, and Roxas didn't want Axel to go there and get hurt even worse by the bats. What was he going to do? He explained his fear to the birds and for once they even didn't know what to say.

"W-Well, why don't you just go back to your original home?" Namine suggested. "I'm sure your friend is worried about you."

Roxas quickly nodded in agreement, knowing she was right that Aerith was probably worried sick about Roxas and that going back home was probably the best idea.

"Okay, I'll go back home," Roxas said with a smile.

"Hey, Sora, Namine!" Demyx called out, catching the two other birds' attentions. "I'll take Roxas back to his home and...in case Axel didn't make it to the Realm of the Fairies I want you two to go out and look for him- ask the animals around the forest if they've seen Prince Axel."

"That's a Roger, Demyx!" Sora said with a grin, giving a thumbs up to Roxas before flying away. Namine gave Roxas a gentle smile and a nod before flying away after Sora herself.

"Are you ready, Roxas?" Demyx asked.

Roxas looked over at Demyx, seeing the male giving him a soft smile and Roxas slowly nodded his head. He got onto Demyx's back like before, the blond's arms carefully holding his legs by his hips before taking off into the air again.

"So where do you live?" Demyx asked.

"I live on the outskirts of the forest," Roxas replied. "There's a cottage just beyond the meadow there and that's where I live."

"Okay, no problem!" Demyx smiled, flapping his big blue wings.

It took only a few minutes before Demyx had left the huge forest and was flying out in the big open sky and over a beautiful green meadow. Roxas smiled brightly when he saw the meadow, seeing how familiar it was.

"H-Hey, Roxas?" Demyx said, stopping for a moment in mid-flight. "I'm a little scared around humans so I'm gonna just stop here...is that okay? I mean, your home is right over there- I'm sure you'll be able to get there in no time."

"A-Alright," Roxas said.

Demyx quickly dove down into the thick green grassy meadow below him, finding the ground quickly and landing a moment later. Demyx carefully set Roxas down on his feet and smiled at him.

"I wish all the luck to you, Roxas," smiled Demyx. "I'm sure you and Prince Axel will see each other again. I'll even go and look for him myself with Namine and Sora."

Roxas smiled widely up at Demyx and nodded his head, "Thank you, Demyx... So much... You've helped me a lot." Roxas then proceeded to wrap his arms around Demyx's waist and hug him as tight as he could. Demyx felt his heart flutter and he smiled widely, wrapping his own arms back around the blond immediately.

"You're welcome, Roxas," Demyx said, pulling away from Roxas and smiling down at him. "I'll always be your friend to help you out through thick and thin."

Roxas smiled even wider, nodding his head again and thanking Demyx once more, before then Demyx had flown away out into the blue sky. Roxas watched until Demyx was out of sight until he focused on his surroundings.

Roxas suddenly felt a chill go up his spine when he realized he had no idea where he was. He was in the meadow, yes, and very near his home, but he couldn't tell which was north, south, east or west. He couldn't see over the tall blades of grass that towered over him, and whichever direction the cottage was he just couldn't tell which way it was.

"Wh-which way am I supposed to go?" Roxas breathed, stepping around in a circle and looking all around him. "I...I don't know..."

Roxas let out a little gasp when he heard something in the grass behind him rustle with noise. Roxas spun around and stared at the exact place he heard the noise come from. His blue eyes were looking all around him nervously and he got the absolutely terrible feeling that somebody was watching him...

"H-Hello?" Roxas whispered. "Is...anyone there?"

That rustle again and Roxas calmed himself not to gasp, but he tensed and continued to look around.

"Hello? Anybody there? I-I'm lost and I...I need some help finding my way..."

The grass rustled once more and this time Roxas could see a figure emerging out of the grass. Roxas stared forward, looking nowhere else as a very tall man stepped out of the grass, his light blue eyes directly on the small form of Roxas. With a flutter of his insect wings, the tall, red-haired male had pushed himself out from the edge of the grass and out into the open where he stood fully in front of Roxas, a rather wide and cocky smile on his face.

"Well, well, well..." he spoke, crossing his arms as he inspected the blond before him. "What on earth is a beautiful thing like you doing out here all by yourself?"


	3. Chapter III

"W-Who're you?" murmured Roxas, blue eyes connecting with that of a new pair of sky blue orbs he had never seen before. The tall and red-haired male standing a few feet away from him chuckled slyly as he held his hands behind his back and began slowly strolling forward towards the lost blond boy.

"My name is Reno, sweetie," the redhead replied. "Now, won't you kindly answer my question? What is such a pretty little thing like you doing out here all by yourself?"

"I'm lost..." answered Roxas, eyes inspecting the stranger before him. He was wearing rather fine clothes, as if he was almost like a nobleman or something. His long sleeved white shirt was a little baggy and had frilly cuffs, while a dark red waist coat hugged him around his middle and chest. Along with that was a simple pair of black trousers and some shining black shoes that looked like they'd make a clacking noise against hard ground. Roxas also noted the sharp looking top hat situated on the man's head, long and fuzzy antennae coming far from his temples. They waggled a bit when Reno finally stopped right in front of Roxas.

"Lost?" he repeated, sounding concerned. Then, Reno laughed a bit and reached out to brush his fingers against Roxas's milky skin. "You've come to the right beetle, then."

"Really?" Roxas responded with big blue eyes.

Ooh, those eyes were something else, Reno thought. The redhead replied with a simple 'yes' and listened to the blond begin to explain where he needed to go. However, Reno wasn't exactly listening... His blue eyes were examining every crucial detail of the boy's body, from the sunshine gold hair that was on Roxas's head that looked silky smooth, all the way down to his petite little body, with long arms and legs. Reno licked his lips a moment as his eyes rested back on Roxas's face, his blue eyes raking over Roxas's smooth looking flesh and then to his lovely azure eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sweet-heart, I can get you right back home," Reno smiled, catching the last sentence Roxas said. "But first...may I ask your name? I'm sure you've got one lovely name that suits such a beautiful boy as yourself."

Roxas flushed noticeably darker when Reno complimented his appearance, his heart fluttering a bit when he glanced back into Reno's face and saw Prince Axel there for a moment. Reno had a striking resemblance to the fairy prince, only his hair was straight and not spiky, far longer and held back in a ponytail. His eyes were blue instead of green, he was taller, and Roxas noticed for the first time that Reno did, in fact, have wings like Axel.

His wings were a bit different than that of the fairy prince's. They were like insect wings, folded comfortably back against Reno's spine with long lines against the clear wings. They weren't nearly as gorgeous as Axel's huge, perfectly flawless wings.

"I-It's...Roxas..." the blond responded.

"Roxas..." Reno said at once, feeling the boy's name easily rolling off his tongue. "Mmm...yes, that is a lovely name. A lovely name for a lovely boy..." Reno reached out to take Roxas's hand after he said that, charmingly leaning down to brush his lips over Roxas's knuckles. Roxas blushed pink at once and stammered a bit.

"I-I'm sorry, but I-I really need to, um, get back home now."

Reno pulled back and cocked his mouth, "Yes, honey-bunch, I know. A small and adorable thing like you could get in trouble out here..."

Yes, Roxas already knew that by his first experience. But this guy seemed like he could help Roxas out. He didn't seem as dangerous as Xemnas...

Reno hummed a moment and placed a hand on his chin as he continued to examine Roxas, suddenly murmuring to himself as if he was making a very important decision about something, "Hmm...he would be just perfect if he had wings..."

"S-Sorry?" Roxas uttered.

"Oh! Nothing, nothing at all," Reno said with pursed lips. "Now, how about we make a bargain, little Roxas? Is that okay with you?" Roxas went to reply but Reno continued swiftly. "All of the other beetles, butterflies, wasps and bumble bees are having a...mm, well, I wouldn't say ball, more like a really long and festive...rave. Yeah, a rave... Now, if you arrive alone you would be really considered a loser, I should say. I would be very honored, Roxas, if you accompanied me to the rave and danced all night long with me."

Roxas blinked, taken quite aback by this offer, "B-But, I need to get home, you see."

"Ah, yes," Reno said a moment later. "That's where my smart bargain comes in. If you come to the rave with me, have fun with me all night long, I'll personally take you back to your home the next morning."

Roxas paused, averting his eyes away and staring at the ground. He wasn't totally sure if Reno was lying or not, but Reno's charming words and enhancing tone made it really seem like this beetle knew exactly what he was talking about and that he'd keep his offer and take Roxas back home the next day. It didn't seem that horrible...Roxas would be dancing and having fun with Reno, it sounded like an okay idea.

"Alright..." Roxas said. "I'll go with you."

"Perfect!" Reno grinned broadly, grasping Roxas's hands. But suddenly, Reno had jerked Roxas forward against his body, one arm looping around Roxas's midsection while the other scooped up Roxas's legs. The blond yelped a bit and blushed darkly as he was so effortlessly held in Reno's arms...it was reminding him a lot of when Prince Axel picked him up and flew him out into the open sky.

Reno's wings suddenly sprouted forth from his back and began fluttering crazily, a slightly annoying buzzing sound emitting from the swift moving insect wings and within a few seconds Reno had taken off into the air. Roxas felt the cool breeze brush against his rosy cheeks, bright and vibrant wild life passing by his eyes again. Roxas took into realization that every person he had met outside of Aerith's cottage could fly and had held Roxas while they flew.

Roxas suddenly felt tingles running all over his body when he felt something fuzzy and crawly running over the back of his neck. He flinched and looked up at Reno. The redhead's antennae had been running over Roxas's neck slowly, and frankly, Roxas found this quite creepy.

"C-Can you stop that, please?" Roxas asked.

"Oh, sorry sweet-pea," Reno said with a smile. "Just couldn't control myself, heh heh."

Reno had taken Roxas into parts of the forest he had not been in. The beetle had stayed low enough to where Roxas could see the ground, but high enough to where he could see the trees. Soon enough, Reno announced they had arrived. It turned out to be a slightly dead looking tree with a huge hollow in it and Roxas could just barely make out bright neon lights glowing from within it.

Reno had landed gracefully upon a large red fungus that was growing out of the side of the tree, setting Roxas shortly down a second later. There were two huge, burly beetle men standing outside the entrance of the hollow, eyeing Roxas but kindly smiling at Reno.

"I would like entrance to the rave with my beautiful date, Roxas," Reno said, wrapping an arm around Roxas's shoulders.

"Hmm," said one of the beetles, inspecting Roxas a moment. "He's not any of the respective insects that are allowed inside, Reno- I'm afraid we can't let him inside."

"Ooh, don't worry!" Reno said confidently. "He simply has grown his wings fully yet. Besides, aren't I one of the ones who suggested and started this rave, I think I deserve to bring whoever I wish."

The bodyguards exchanged glances and shrugged, "All right then. Have a good time."

"Thank you," Reno smiled, taking Roxas's hand and leading him offside.

They didn't go through the huge hollow that was before them, but around to the side and down a fungus that slanted downwards like stairs. There was an entry way that was hidden by some hanging green moss, Reno easily pushing past it and into a room that looked a little bit cluttered. There was actually many articles of clothing laying around, some chairs and one very large broken disco ball.

"Come on then, beautiful," said Reno, tugging on Roxas's hand.

Roxas had been lead to another staircase that lead downwards into a bright and colorful room that looked like a dressing room. The floor was covered in a vibrant pink moss, and there were about four large vanity tables situated around the room, while big green and red lights hung from above. It turned out those lights were actually people, two female fireflies to be exact, with brightly glowing back ends as they filed each other's nails.

But Reno's attention wasn't on them but another young woman who was sitting at a vanity table, wearing a huge black and white outfit that made her look like she should've been onstage performing a dancing act. Roxas nearly tripped over some clothing as he neared her and Reno called her 'Yuffie'.

"Oh, welcome back, Reno!" Yuffie replied perkily, fluffing out her short black hair in the meantime. That was when Roxas caught sight of her wings, which blended into her extraordinary outfit. She was a butterfly, with wings that were monstrous with a pattern that Roxas's eyes got lost in.

"Yuffie, this is Roxas," Reno said, gently pulling Roxas closer. "He's agreed to join me for the rave as my date. Would you kindly pretty him up for me? Put him in something that'll bring out those gorgeous eyes of his."

"Oh my!" Yuffie proclaimed, taking Roxas's hands and grinning widely. "What a little cutie YOU are! Ah- Reno, where're his wings?"

"Ah, right..." Reno said, stroking Roxas's shoulder a moment. "He doesn't have any, you see. I found him wandering through the grass- he was lost and needed some help."

"You just found him? Sheesh, Reno, for all you know he could be one of those icky worm creatures!" She went back to using a powder puff on her cheeks.

Reno groaned and pushed Roxas gently in front of him and Roxas felt slightly offended by being accused of being a worm. "Yuffie, sister-dear, Roxas is anything but a worm! Can't you see how pretty he is? Why don't you try out what you've been working on lately on him? I'm sure you could make some stunning wings for him to wear and then nobody will suspect Roxas of being a worm."

Roxas wasn't sure if he liked where any of this was going. He was having second thoughts about all this. If this girl accused him of being a worm, what on earth would somebody else accuse him of being? Or worse, what would they even say? It wasn't like he looked any different from these guys, other than he didn't have wings or antennae.

Yuffie stared at Roxas for a long moment, her hand pressed against her cheek. She looked in between repulsed and interested at the same time. Finally, she sighed and agreed to what Reno said. The red-haired beetle gratefully thanked her before returning his attention back to Roxas.

"Now Roxas, just go along with whatever Yuffie says, okay? She is excellent when it comes to clothes and style, and by the time we dance for the first time together tonight I'm sure you'll be the most beautiful insect here."

Roxas blushed a bit again, but before he could say anything, Reno had leaned down to press his lips against Roxas's cheek and turn away and leave. Roxas seemed to not have any say in the matter, or hadn't since he had been kidnapped in the first place.

"Okay then!" Yuffie exclaimed, standing up and nearly knocking Roxas over with her massive wings. "What can we put you in?" Yuffie looked Roxas over, examined his arms, legs, waist and even his rear end before she told him to do a little spin. Roxas slowly did, still blushing a bit and Yuffie then touched some of his golden hair.

"I'm thinking yellow," she said. "Yellow and black. That's it, you'll be one of the flower makers, or- ahh, a bumble bee, I should say." Roxas didn't exactly what to be a bumble bee, he just wanted to be himself, but once again he had no say in the matter as Yuffie began taking his measurements

Yuffie had wandered deeper into the large room, occasionally laughing loudly along with the two firefly girls above them, while she began creating Roxas's outfit. She used all sorts of different equipment, many articles of fabrics and pins and clips. It didn't take very long, either for her to put it all together. She had created quite a magnificent outfit, except to Roxas it was a little bit too much.

Before Roxas got to say anything, again, Yuffie began putting it on Roxas, one step at a time, and when she was finished she pushed Roxas in front of a full length glass mirror and Roxas's eyes grew wide. The outfit was large much like Yuffie's, and reminded Roxas a lot like, well, a dress. In fact, Roxas asked Yuffie himself if it was a dress but she just cocked her mouth at him irritably. It was clear to say that the outfit did make Roxas look twice as beautiful than he already was, with the way the yellow and black outfit hugged his body tightly in all the right places. It had a huge zipper in the front- Yuffie said something about it would be easy access, however Roxas had no idea what she was talking about, while the sleeves hung down far from Roxas's arms, making his arms look skinnier than they already were.

With a final touch, Yuffie had sewed together a pair of fake wings that looked quite real and offical to Roxas and attached them to the back of the outfit. Yuffie had sewn on a some yellow spots on the wings to make them look fancier and more beautiful. They were big, but not nearly as big as Yuffie's truly real butterfly wings.

"Well, what do you think?" Yuffie smiled proudly.

"Um, well..." Roxas said, turning around a few times and staring at himself with different poses. "It's definitely something!"

"Well, would you like to hear what I have to say about it?" Yuffie smirked. "I'd have to say that you look waaaay better than when you first walked in here. In fact, you're quite the gorgeous little piece of work, I'll say. Personally, I think Reno will be very proud of me and will be quite satisfied with you. Let me also toss into the air, dear, that most eyes will be on you tonight."

"R-Really?" Roxas asked, face pink.

"Yes, I believe so!" Yuffie said perkily. "Just be careful with the smell in there; it may rub you the wrong way."

Roxas blinked in confusion, "Smell?" But Yuffie had hurried back into the center of the room, fluffing up her hair as she walked by a mirror and then reached for a huge, tasseled rope connected to a bell that was on the ceiling. She pulled on it with a yawn before sitting back down on a pink cushioned seat to continue prettying herself up.

"Yuffie?" Roxas asked gently as he walked closer to her, he had to pick up the sides of his outfit, much like how one would with a dress, so he wouldn't trip over the loose fabric. "Is Reno coming back?"

"Yes he is!" Yuffie smiled as she applied something thick and red to her lips that made her look older rather than prettier. "I hope you have fun, Roxas! Toodles!"

The door to the room opened up again and there stood Reno, clad in a different outfit than before. He looked rather handsome, let's say, with his long sleeve red shirt that looked quite suave with a pair of red leather pants that looked like another skin. His shoes even changed to a pair of knee high black boots that looked like they took forever to get on with all the strings wound in them.

Roxas looked back up at Reno's face - the man looked very pleased with the way Roxas looked. He was smirking widely and licking his lips every so often.

"Damn, Yuffie, you did quite a good job!" Reno commented.

"I know!"

"Jeez, he looks just like a flower maker!" Reno gasped as he circled around Roxas. "You made this outfit in just that time I was gone, my goodness, Roxas you look incredible!"

Roxas forced a smile, feeling a little too dressed up for a dance. How was he supposed to dance in this sort of outfit without it getting ripped or torn, anyways?

Roxas squeaked in surprise when he felt that familiar fuzzy, crawly feeling on his neck again and he arched a bit as he heard Reno actually moan. Roxas looked over his shoulder at Reno and saw that the redhead was leaning down close to the boy's bare shoulders and sniffing him, his fuzzy antennae poking and dancing over Roxas's slender neck.

"I could just eat you up you look so good," Reno sighed deeply. "Come on, let's go and show you off!"

Roxas stammered a bit as Reno grabbed his hand again and lead him away out of the room, down some more stairs and into a long and dark red hallway that was dimly lit. The hallway had many doors on either wall, and Roxas even heard, what sounded like, a loud cry come from within one of the rooms and then a deep groan from another one. It was at that moment that Roxas felt very uncomfortable.

Loud music could be heard as the hallway came to an end and Reno turned down into another short hallway before reaching a door and the music was twice as loud behind that door as it had been in that strange hallway from before. Reno pushed open the door and pulled Roxas inside and was instantly met with many different things. There were flashing neon lights, all colors of the rainbow blinking everywhere, while there were dozens of insects all around in the huge room, all with wings of different sizes, colors and sounds whenever they would give them a flutter. The music certainly was interesting, however, nothing like you'd hear at a grand ball, but more very fast and repetitive dance music that pounded around the room like a drum, and Roxas could even feel it inside his body.

And lastly, the weirdest thing of all, was an aroma in the room that made the hairs on the back of Roxas's neck rise. It was a thick, musty smell that made Roxas's vision go hazy and his blood boil mildly, making his body feel light and limber. His eyes grew half-lidded, and his breath hitch in his throat. It was an odor that Roxas had never smelled before, but it certainly made him feel funny.

"Roxas," sighed Reno, pulling the slight out of it blond closer. "Everyone's looking at us- looking at you. That means they're jealous because of how pretty you are."

"O-Oh," Roxas muttered, while he reached up to rub at his eyes. "W-Well good then..."

"Very good," Reno smirked as he began leading Roxas out onto the dance floor.

The other insects actually moved apart to allow Reno and Roxas to stand on the dance floor. Reno began to lead Roxas in a fast and rhythmatic dance that Roxas could barely even keep up with. The blond was still smelling that weird smell, the aroma lingering in his nostrils and nearly taking over his body. All the insects standing around looked either extremely jealous or very into the dance that Reno and Roxas were doing. Reno was standing somewhat close as well, pushing one of his leather-clad legs between Roxas's leg while his hands wandered dangerously over the blond's skinny waist and daring to move to his rear end.

But Roxas was so out of it from the musty smell in the air to even notice these things. However, he did release a timidly mild squeak when Reno finally got the courage to slowly slide one palm over one cheek of the boy's rear. But suddenly, the song ended and a new one started. However, this one was a bit slower and Roxas began to curiously glance around to see how everyone else was dancing: up close to their partner and slowly.

Roxas looked back up at Reno and saw the redhead smiling charmingly. He reached out and placed his hands on Roxas's waist while Roxas reached up to wrap his arms around the redhead's neck. The sound of the music was getting to Roxas, and the way Reno would sway them back and forth while seemingly lovingly stroke the boy every now and then, while their bodies were pressed flush together.

"Mmnn, Roxas..." Reno whispered quietly into the blond's ear. "You're the one for me..."

"What...?" Roxas barely spoke, still intoxicated from the musty odor.

"You're so cute in that outfit- I wanna take it off you and see that cute body of yours," Reno murmured back. "I'll bet you've had no one touch you, right...?"

From the sounds of the music and the must in the air, Roxas barely caught every third word Reno said, and Reno seemed to notice this and he appeared to like it that way. Reno smirked and chuckled, leaning down to brush his lips across Roxas's cheek, his leg moving between Roxas's legs again while his knee grinded up against Roxas's groin.

The blond reacted. Roxas's eyes fluttered closed at the strange touch he had never felt before. The blond felt his cheeks and nose flush pink, while his spine arched a tad and a shuddering gasp left his lips. Reno released a quiet little growl next to Roxas's ear again and he licked his lips, satisfied with the noise Roxas produced.

"Mmm, Roxas...you sound so hot..."

Roxas blinked his half-lidded eyes in wonder what Reno had just said and what more it meant. The blond now had an extra thing to distract him from Reno's words and that was the redhead grinding his knee up against Roxas's crotch, slow but firmly.

"I want you..." Reno murmured into Roxas's ear. "I want you now, sweetheart."

Reno's tongue suddenly sneaked out to lick at Roxas's ear, the wet muscle sliding over the boy's earlobe and down his neck. Roxas hissed inwardly at the feeling as his eyes slipped closed, his neck arching back at the sensation of the handsome redhead's tongue about him.

"Let me show you a good time..." Reno murmured with a smirk. "I'll treat you real nice, Roxas..."

"Ah..." was all Roxas said.

Reno licked his lips slyly and nodded to himself. Now was the time while the must still hung in the air and intoxicated the blond deeply to the point of no return. Reno's hand slowly wandered down to Roxas's hand and he intertwined their fingers together before bringing Roxas's hand up to his face where the redhead kissed his knuckles tenderly.

"Mmm...love it..." Reno murmured. "Let's get somewhere private, whattya say, Roxas?"

Roxas looked up at Reno, a look upon his face that looked exactly as if he was in some sort of trance. He also looked confused, distracted and a little saddened in his eyes. Reno ignored this and jerked Roxas off the dance floor and out of the main room where they then returned to that hallway that had all those strange moans, cries and groans coming from the doors on either wall.

Reno strolled hurriedly over to one of the doors and jerked it open and gently pushed Roxas inside. Roxas stumbled as he fell into the room, blinking his hazy blue eyes as he stared around it. The room was fancy nonetheless and held many oddly shaped items Roxas had never seen before. Roxas tilted his head to the side as his eyes landed on a large bed with red covers and a huge tapestry.

"Hm?" Roxas hummed, still very intoxicated by the must.

After securely a putting a 'do not disturb' sign out on the handle of the door, Reno focused his attention back on Roxas. The redhead reached the blond, taking the boy into his arms immediately dropping him down onto the bed. Roxas landed with a soft little 'oomph' and blinkingly looked back up at Reno who began to crawl over him.

"You're lookin' pretty damn cute right now, Roxas," Reno smirked delightedly. "Good thing Yuffie put this zipper here..."

Reno's hand wandered straight towards the large zipper than was on the front of Roxas's extravagant outfit, where then the redhead tugged it down and down until Roxas's entire torso was showing. Once some of Roxas's skin was showing, Reno hungrily began kissing all over Roxas's neck and clavicle.

Roxas stared off, oblivious to what was really happening here as because his mind was so clouded by the thick must he encountered in the dance room. His mind wasn't thinking clearly, but his body was.

"Mmm...that's such a good boy, Roxas..." Reno smiled. "Are you gonna make Reno happy too?"

Roxas was releasing a soft little pant now, his fingers gripping the huge sleeves of his outfit which was still connected to his body other than his lower half. Roxas didn't respond of course as his head rolled to the side and he continued to release little breathy noises of maybe pleasure maybe discomfort. Whatever they were, Reno found them highly arousing.

However, what Roxas felt next was definitely something that had his mind worked up for a moment. The blond released a timid sounding yowl that made Reno's body tingle, especially between his legs. His own blue eyes glimmered a bit when he heard the noise Roxas made.

"Oh yeah, felt good, didn't it?" Reno smirked.

Roxas's head fell back into the extra squishy pillows. This was something Roxas had never felt before, and Roxas's body was enjoying it far more than Roxas probably would've wanted it to.

"You gettin' hard for me, baby?"

Roxas's eyes opened a bit - they were still glazed over - and he looked down at Reno, the redhead was smirking so evilly that Roxas felt his mind kick back to reality for a brief moment.

"N-No..." Roxas muttered quietly.

Reno cocked his mouth irritably and he leant over Roxas and stared directly into those azure orbs of his that still looked so perplexed. "What was that? Hm? No? Well, I'll bet you'll get hard once I've sucked you dry, eh?"

Reno went for Roxas's pants now, jerking the fine material down and ripping them a bit. Whatever, Reno didn't frankly care if Yuffie got upset with him- he was going to have this blond beauty if it was the last thing he was going to do.

Soon enough, the entire outfit - except for the parts that were still on Roxas's arms - was completely gone. The blond was laying there, parts of his body revealed to the redhead that Roxas most definitely didn't want Reno to see...if he was in his right mind, after all.

"So small. It's much smaller than mine. I think you'll be happy with what you see, Roxy..."

"I knew it. It's obvious you find me very attractive, Roxas," Reno said smugly.

"No...no..." Roxas whimpered out, panting a bit. Roxas had never felt like this before. He felt like something was just bothering him so badly. Roxas's eyes remained half-lidded and hazy while his body continued to writhe around under Reno's touch.

"Reno..." Roxas whispered. "What...what're you...d-doing...?"

"Ooh, so you're talkin' now?" Reno said, looking interested. "Say my name again, sweet stuff." Roxas closed his eyes and arched off the bed while releasing an exhausted sounding moan.

"Sexy..." sighed Reno. "God, I love it... Cute little boys like you only come by occasionally. Heheh, so I better make you last."

"What..." Roxas muttered breathily. "...are you gonna do...?"

Reno smirked slyly and flicked some red out of his eyes while his hands went straight to the buttons and zipper of his very tight leather pants.

"Just relax, honey," Reno grinned. "I won't bite. I just sting..."

Roxas's eyes stared, still very perplexed, at Reno, very clueless about what was going to happen. The must was still blurring his mind which was the main reason.

Let me be your wings, Roxas... I love you so much... I'll never let you go...

I want to have an amazing adventure with you, Axel...

Don't leave me...

"Axel..." Roxas spoke aloud. "Pr-Prince Axel..."

"What?" Reno spoke, clearly looking annoyed by this. Reno reached out to grab Roxas's cheeks firmly and make the boy look up at the redhead. "You're supposed to say my name and not the stupid fairy prince's name! Your silly little fantasy with him won't come true so shut up about him!"

Roxas blinked his eyes a few times, his vision blurry before it suddenly became very clear and his eyes landed on the large appendage coming from Reno's groin.

"But you're gonna get it now, sugar," Reno chuckled, licking his upper lip. "Good and rough, cause that's how I like it..."

Roxas's eyes grew wide and he went to shoot out his hands and push Reno hard away when he suddenly heard a loud bang come from the doorway. Roxas looked up and saw no other than Namine come sprinting into the room, flapping her big white wings towards Reno and really making a ruckus. From the powerful flap of her wings it caused a great wind to come about in the room and knock many things over, even pieces of furniture.

"What the shit!" Reno shrieked, gasping as he fell over and onto to the floor by the power of Namine's wings.

"Roxas! Hurry!" Namine called out as she continued to distract Reno by flapping her huge wings.

Roxas nodded his head and pulled up the zipper on the crazy outfit and tried to cover himself up the best he possibly could. Once Roxas was finished, Namine leapt out and grabbed Roxas's hand before hurrying out of the door, leaving a very embarrassed Reno on the floor, legs covering himself as he glared forward.

"Fine. Ugly little worm..."

Roxas closed his eyes tightly where he sat outside on one of the large funguses coming out of the huge hollow tree where the rave was happening. Namine stood in front of him, her big white wings folded carefully behind her spine while her arms fiddled in front of her frame nervously. Roxas had long changed back into his original clothes - the ones that Aerith hand made herself - and tossed that ridiculous costume that Yuffie had made him. Namine explained that she had been searching for him everywhere inside the hollow and relocated his original garments in the dressing room.

"How'd you find me, Namine?" Roxas asked, looking up from where he had been nuzzling the fronts of his knees.

"I knew something bad had happened," explained the blond female. "When Demyx returned to tell us all you were safe and on your way back to your home...I asked where he left you and Demyx told me exactly where. The area you were in was specific beetle territory, a place nobody should really be inside of except for other beetles. You could more or less call it an insect mating ground. That beetle, Reno, was probably looking to pick up somebody just to...you know..."

"Spend time with..." Roxas said, pressing his cheek against his knee and squeezing his legs tighter. Roxas sighed, closing his eyes, his cheeks stained a light pink. "How could I have fallen into another situation like this?"

"It wasn't your fault, Roxas," Namine said kindly, dropping onto her knees in front of Roxas and placing one dainty hand over his. "It was because of the must from the insects was affecting you... Reno probably knew that would happen and then took advantage of the situation to try and hurt you."

Roxas sighed glumly again and closed his eyes. He buried his head into his knees and shuddered hard, the feeling of Namine kindly stroking the back of his hand seeming to not calm him down at all. Namine watched the blond boy carefully and then blinked when she heard him sniffle and whimper quietly.

"N-Namine?" Roxas uttered. He slowly lifted his head to look at Namine, his face swimming in tears.

"I miss Axel..."

"You cannot do this again, you hear me, young man!"

"B-But mother, that's not how it is!"

"Listen to your mother, Axel."

The red-haired prince sighed gruffly and crossed his arms stubbornly at the way his parents treated him. He was sitting on a small toadstool in the large and sparkling palace in the Realm of the Fairies, where his parents, the King of the fairies and Queen of the fairies, were scolding him sharply at the accident he had gone through of one of his wings breaking and his arm getting stabbed.

"It's a good thing one of the other fairies found you," sighed his mother, tightening one bandage around Axel's upper bicep where the blood was still seeping through. "Otherwise you would've died."

Axel was looking off to the side, eyes hazy and mouth partially open. He wasn't listening to his mother. He was thinking about Roxas... He had to go and save him, but his parents were refusing him to leave the Realm of the Fairies because of the mess he had gotten himself into.

The redheaded prince absent-mindedly tried to flutter his wings but ended up wincing in pain, the shining, clear wing barely moving and leaning against his other wing lop-sidedly.

"You're not leaving this palace and that's final," said his father strictly. "After the mess you got yourself into...we can't afford to have you get hurt, Axel."

"And I can't afford to have the love of my life get hurt!" bellowed Axel, standing up at once and glowering at his parents.

His mother blinked her emerald green eyes in sadness and slight guilt and then looked at her husband. The fairy king sighed and crossed his arms, some of his light red hair falling in front of his dark eyes.

"This boy named Roxas could be dead for all we know..."

"NO!" shouted Axel, gritting his teeth. "I refuse to believe that! Roxas is alive and he's in serious trouble if I don't save him from that bat who captured him!"

"Axel," spat his mother, getting his eye contact. Axel turned immediately and looked at her, half glaring. She sighed a moment and rubbed her upper arm. "You should at least stay here for one night and get a full nights rest before you go out searching for him."

Axel looked away, sighing heavily and feeling his eyes become misty. He couldn't wait that long... He had already wasted a great amount of time as it was... Roxas could've already gotten abused by that bat who seemed much interested in Roxas's body instead of eating him or something. The redhead reached up to wipe at his eyes, his shoulders trembling a second.

"Fine..."

The queen and king smiled warmly, Axel's mother stepping over and placing her warm hand on Axel's shoulder and rubbing it lovingly. She looked up at him and Axel refused to look at her in the eyes. He was too angry right now to do anything else. He was lying, of course. Once his parents had gone to sleep he would definitely make a run for it and look for Roxas all night and all the next day if he had to.

"Namine? Do you think you could fly me back to my home?" Roxas asked. "I mean, Demyx got it wrong last time and I believe you'd be able to make the right choice."

Namine fiddled with her fingers for a moment. She looked bothered by something, extremely unsure about Roxas's suggestion and she eventually just shook her head, "I can't, Roxas. I'm not nearly as big or as strong as Demyx. Look at me; I'm much smaller than you. So how could I possibly pick you up and carry you that far?"

Roxas looked down miserably, shaking his head, "What am I gonna do? Demyx and the others are out looking for Axel, and I'm too afraid to walk back on my own...I would get so lost."

"I'll help you," said Namine. "These wings of mine may not be able to get you all the way back home but I'm sure I could carry you some of the way."

"Really?" Roxas asked, although sounding uncertain.

"I can try," said Namine. "C'mon, get on my back."

Roxas bit the inside of his lip, extremely unsure about this. Namine was very tiny, and even though Roxas was pretty petite and tiny himself, he was still a male and bigger than her. Roxas swallowed thickly and stood up, stepping slowly over to the blond and getting onto her back like how he had done with Demyx.

Namine grunted softly at the amount of weight that was placed on her back. She breathed hard and then unfolded her snow white wings. She flapped them hard to get momentum before she leapt forward off the fungus and began spiraling straight down towards the ground. Roxas screamed out and closed his eyes, awaiting his doom of falling and breaking every bone in his body. But he suddenly felt a cool breeze passing by him in a more comfortable fashion instead of violent and fast.

Roxas opened his eyes and saw that Namine was flying forward, she was struggling very hard, but she was at least flying forward. "Namine! Are you okay?"

"For now..." Namine breathed, feeling her temples moisten. "I won't last long. But I can get you out of the thicker parts of the forest..."

The flight was short, but Namine had been correct in getting out of the thickness of the trees and towards the open meadow again. The blond girl panted hard and began to slowly float down towards the grassy ground, where she landed and Roxas slowly got off her, watching her with concern. She was panting and sweating a bit. Her blue eyes looked up at Roxas and she shook her head.

"Roxas, I'm so sorry..." she apologized profusely. "I'm sorry I can't get you any closer. I'm just not strong enough."

"It's okay," Roxas smiled. "You got me close enough. I-I'm sure I can get back home... If not I'll survive...I hope."

Namine smiled and stood up - from where she had been leaning over from exhaustion - and approaching Roxas, reaching out to take his hand and stroke it lovingly.

"You've gone through something bad twice, I'm sure you can handle it, Roxas."

Roxas blushed a bit and nodded his head. Roxas had never met a more nicer girl than Aerith, but Namine was the sweetest dove he had ever laid eyes on. He nodded his head again and said, "Thank you, Namine. You've helped me a lot."

Roxas glanced up towards the sky when he heard the loud caw of a crow. The sun was setting and casting an orange glow over the woodlands. Roxas looked back at Namine and asked, "Is Demyx out looking for Prince Axel?"

Namine nodded her head, "Yes. So are some of the other birds. I'll go and help look as well, although I'm pretty tired as it is... But I'll still go try."

Roxas released a soft gasp and leaned forward to wrap his arms tightly around Namine, embracing her lovingly and nuzzling the crook of her neck, "Namine...you've helped me so much. Without you, I'd still be back there with Reno... All of you have helped me... Namine, you go rest up...and thank you again."

Namine pulled away and stared up at Roxas with a gentle smile. She nodded her head and reached up to place a friendly little peck to Roxas's forehead, "I hope you find Prince Axel a-and..." Namine stopped, smiled and looked off with a little pink in her cheeks.

"I hope you two get married!"

"W-What!" Roxas exclaimed, going very red in the face.

"See you, Roxas!" Namine giggled. She flapped her wings heavily and soared out into the sky, back into the thick trees, her white form disappearing from sight within seconds.

Roxas was still quite crimson, hands over his mouth as he thought about what Namine just said. Marry Prince Axel? Roxas bit his bottom lip, his stomach doing flip flops and his heart pounding.

"Marry Axel..." Roxas giggled a moment. Roxas tucked some golden hair behind his ear before he began to walk off more into the grassy meadow, away from the thick forest and intent on finding his home and hopefully Axel as well.

Soon enough the moon was high in the sky, a faint, pale glow casting over the forest and meadow. Axel tip-toed quietly out of his bedroom in the palace and began heading straight outside towards the stables. He had already rebandaged his wing and arm so they would stay well healed while he was out looking for Roxas. The doctors of the Realm of the Fairies told Axel that his wing would mend within a week, and that his arm would be healed within three days. That wouldn't take too long, Axel hoped, but in the meantime he'd have to use one of their transportation animals that were rarely used because most fairies had wings and could fly themselves.

However, the animals they kept in the stables were an assortment of two types of animals - animals that could fly and animals that couldn't. There were a few different kinds of birds, all standing proud with handsome saddles on their backs, and there were lizards which were commonly used for war, if there ever was one. And lastly insects, such as bumble bees, spiders and grasshoppers. Axel scanned each section of the animals and decided on the birds, not wanting to ride on the backs of one of the more reckless animals that could possibly wound his broken wing even more.

The redhead hurried over to one large and calm looking sparrow, standing behind one stall and preening it's feathers. Axel quickly, but gracefully so as not to scare the sparrow, pulled it out of it's stall before climbing onto it's back. The feathers were comfortable and brushed against Axel's skin nice and softly, plus it seemed the sparrow liked Axel because it kept smiling at him.

"Okay, I need you to fly around for me in the forest," instructed Axel. "I'm looking for someone and I'm putting my trust in you to not give up on me 'cause I can't fly."

The sparrow chirped, nodding it's head and puffing out it's golden brown feathers.

"Good boy," smiled Axel, taking hold of the reins. But the sparrow squawked loudly with a seriously offended look on it's face at Axel. The fairy prince looked highly confused before he chuckled and said, "Good girl."

The sparrow hesitated before nodding it's head again, chirping pleasantly before taking wing into the skies and out of the Realm of the Fairies. Axel looked over his shoulder and back at the Realm, watching as the fortress covered by huge blossoms and mushrooms faded more and more in the shadows of the night. Axel sighed and looked forward again, his fiery locks flowing in the breeze as the sparrow took him around the entire area, scanning every nook and cranny of the vast meadow as far as Axel could see.

"Roxas, I swear I will find you," Axel said, fingers tightening on the reins. "Please be safe..."


	4. Chapter IV

A/n: holy crap, I am SO sorry for the long wait for this! I have been rather preoccupied by things in my daily life and have simultaneously been on a writer's block, so I'm so sorry! But here's another chapter of this for you guys! I really hope you like it!

* * *

"Sora! Hurry up! We've got to keep looking!" cried Namine as she flapped her snow-white wings as fast as she could. The little chocolate brown sparrow behind her was trying desperately to keep up with her in the frigid air around them, causing his teeth to chatter and his tan skin break out into gooseflesh.

"If we don't find Prince Axel before winter then there's no way we're going to be able to help Roxas!" Namine called back to the brunette behind her, Namine's voice a little louder than normal because of the sound of the blustery wind around them.

"Namine! I-I don't think we're going to be able to find Axel in time!" Sora called back. "It's way too cold out here; h-he might've already froze to death!"

"D-Don't say that!" Namine said, her whole body trembling with cold. "We've got to stay positive, just like how Roxas is! I promised him that I'd find Axel; all of us did! Now come on, fly faster, Sora!"

Indeed it was growing closer and closer to winter. The sky was turning gray, the air icy cold, the trees and grass losing their beautiful glow of green and life. Soon enough, everything would be covered in snow and ice, and all things that were as small as Roxas would not be able to survive in a climate such as that. Even the small birds, Namine and Sora, were at risk of serious health out here in this kind of weather were it looked like a brutal storm was about to brew up. Both of them were shivering as they flew as fast as their wings would carry them through the chilly weather, eyes watering and teeth chattering.

"Come on, Sora! We can do this!" Namine said to Sora, noticing the chocolate-haired boy was looking extremely bad.

"N-Namine... I c-can't fly anymore! It's too cold out here!" Sora gasped helplessly. Namine came to a halt as she heard this, her blue eyes widening a little as she noticed Sora fall towards the ground. Luckily, they were only a few inches from the dirt and Sora fell on his back with a little puff of dust. Several of his brown feathers were scattered around him and he was shaking like a leaf. Namine landed next to him, her mouth open in a small pant.

"Sora...please...don't give up... W-We've got to keep searching...for...for Roxas..." Namine breathed softly. Namine slowly dropped onto her knees next to Sora, her white wings wrapping around Sora's shaking little form. Her feathers were extremely soft and caressed Sora's cold flesh and caused him to grow much warmer than he had previously been.

"Believe that everything will be alright, Sora," Namine smiled sweetly at the brunette below him. "C-Come on...you can do this, Sora...I believe in you..." Namine leaned down and pressed her soft lips against Sora's cheek before slowly pulling back and smiling tenderly at him. This seemed to give Sora enough strength, just enough for him to sit up and nod his head at Namine.

"You're right, Namine," Sora said confidently. "We have to help Roxas the best we can." Namine's smile grew wider and she laughed merrily and wrapped her entire form around Sora's skinny body, wings and all. Sora's arms wound about Namine's petite figure as well and he nuzzled her neck. Both pulled away shortly, smiles on either of their faces.

"Right, let's keep looking for Prince Axel so we can get him to Roxas!" Namine exclaimed.

There came a very heavy and loud thud behind either of the birds, a large shadow appearing over both of them. Namine's and Sora's eyes were wide as saucers as they turned their heads and gazed upon the face of no other than Xemnas, the ferocious bat who had first kidnapped Roxas and injured Axel.

Namine and Sora were paralyzed with fear as they stared up at Xemnas, their bodies now trembling with fear rather than cold.

"Hm..." Xemnas's voice rumbled. "Did I hear one of you mention...Roxas?"

Neither of them responded, hoping maybe Xemnas was slightly blind or something and couldn't see them. Their hopes were broken as Xemnas suddenly lashed out at Namine, gripping his large hand around her throat and thrusting her up against a tree nearby. Namine shrieked loudly and Sora started to bang his fists repeatedly against Xemnas's back, however it did hardly any good because Xemnas's skin was rather tough, like that of a bat's.

Xemnas leaned forward and sniffed over Namine, his other free hand reaching up to stroke through Namine's silky blonde tresses. "I can smell Roxas on you, girl...you have been with him." Namine's eyes were wide, staring right into Xemnas's piercing orange gaze, one that was so sharp it almost seemed to cut into Namine.

"Don't tell him anything, Namine!" Sora snarled, trying his best to get Xemnas to let Namine go. "Let her go, you beast!" Sora even grabbed at one of Xemnas's large, leathery wings and sank his teeth into him, however Xemnas didn't even flinch.

"You will tell me what you did with Roxas..." Xemnas threatened through his fangs. "Where is Roxas?"

Namine shuddered and trembled pathetically, tears in her blue eyes. She had to say something! But she couldn't tell him where exactly Roxas was either otherwise Roxas would be a goner. She had to make something else up...

"Th-The beetle...h-he...he took Roxas..." Namine shuddered.

"Beetle?" Xemnas repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What beetle?"

"H-His name was Reno...that's all I know... R-Roxas is with him..." Namine lied.

Xemnas stared at Namine for a long moment, trying to read her in case she was lying or not. Without any other words, Xemnas released Namine and she fell to the ground with a gasp of air. Sora rushed over to her and petted her lovingly and held her close, both of their eyes turning to watch Xemnas flap his huge dark wings and fly off into the dark sky.

* * *

Another day and a half passed, and it was growing much colder. The sky was nothing but gray, and the wind was harsh and chilly. Icicles were beginning to appear on the trees, and any day now the snow would soon be sprinkling from the overcast clouds above the forest. All of the animals were beginning their long sleep for hibernation so they wouldn't have to endure the harsh climate that was soon to arrive. However, some animals had not yet gone to sleep.

One white hare had been out searching for what might've been left of the nuts and berries to store up for the long winter ahead, but while on her trek she encountered a rather hungry looking fox. Her snowy white feet began to hop tremendously fast over the terrain as the red fox dashed swiftly after her.

Meanwhile, the swallow, Demyx, had been soaring above the two mammals, noticing that this was the small smidgeon of life he had seen in the forest in a while. Maybe the rabbit knew where he could find the Realm of the Fairies? It was worth a shot as Demyx grinned triumphantly and descended down towards the hare.

To make it easier on himself, Demyx actually planted himself on the rabbit's small snout where the hare shrieked in surprise and tried to gently shake Demyx off.

"C-Can't you see I'm a little busy here?" she panted while continuing to quickly move her four feet.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm looking for someone," Demyx said politely.

"Oh?"

"Yes, his name is Prince Axel. The prince of the fairies?" Demyx smiled. "Perhaps you've heard of him?"

"Sorry," the hare wheezed in reply. "But I don't really keep up with fairy news, especially since it's getting s-so close to winter now." Demyx sighed, looking a little defeated. "But h-he might know something." The hare was referring to the drooling fox behind him that was still chasing after the white rabbit.

"Oh! Thank you! I shall ask him!" Demyx chirped. He lifted himself off the rabbit's nose and literally slammed himself into the fox's jaws from the mixture of the wind and lift off.

"Hey!" barked the fox, spitting Demyx out of his moist mouth. Demyx flapped his wings quickly so he could keep up with the fox and proceeded to grab onto the fox's big bushy tail.

"I-I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner, b-but I need to ask you something!"

"Let go of my tail, you little pest!"

"I-I was wondering if you might have heard of Prince Axel? The prince of the fairies? And if you have any information you'd like to share about him?" Demyx called out as loudly as he could while simultaneously attempting to hold onto the fox's flailing tail.

"I said get off!" snarled the fox. The fox had no intention of helping Demyx out and proceeded to give his tail a hard whack, powerful enough to send Demyx flying off of the red animal.

The impact of the fox's hit caused Demyx to hit a tree behind him with a heavy thud. Demyx groaned and slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurring a little bit.

"Man...winter certainly does put people in a bad mood," Demyx murmured. He went to go and stand but winced and flopped back down onto his hind-quarters and moaned in pain. Demyx grunted and sat up straight, turning his head to look over his shoulder at his large blue right wing.

There was a very thick and mean looking thorn pierced right through his wing and there were even a few drops of blood trickling down his cerulean feathers. Demyx swallowed thickly and reached up to try and grab at the thorn, but it was near impossible to pull it out himself, especially since the thorn had imbedded itself from the back of Demyx's wing, he couldn't properly reach it let alone yank it out.

"M-Maybe I can still fly!" Demyx smiled hopefully. With a great deal of strength, Demyx hauled himself to his tired feet and flapped his wings. It hurt like a mother, but Demyx didn't give up. With all the strength he could muster up, his wings had managed to lift him around three feet off the ground before...

"Ow!"

And Demyx had fallen flat on his behind again, the back of his head bumping into the hard ground painfully. Demyx whimpered and sat up, his blue eyes looking back up at the thorn caught in his wing, more blood drizzling from the wound and causing the swallow to shiver bitterly.

"How in the world am I going to fly?" Demyx said to himself. "I'm not even going to be able to make it back home, let alone fly south for the winter..." Demyx glanced up at the cloudy sky and he wondered where Roxas was at the moment. The older blonde male cared about his friend and knew that it would be much more difficult for Roxas to find warmth and safety in this kind of weather rather than any of the other animals, who instinctively knew what to do when this time of the year came around.

"Poor Roxas..." Demyx shivered hard, goosebumps appearing on his pale skin as a heavy cold breeze blew over him.

"I-It's...s-so cold..."

* * *

That afternoon had been miserable and freezing, but that night was even worse because the next morning winter would been arriving. Prince Axel was right in the heart of an on growing storm that was filled with a terrible harsh wind, small ice shards, and the first sightings of snowflakes.

"Roxas!" Axel called out in the blustery storm. The bird that Axel was mounted upon did not look pleased with this weather and was trembling from the cold wind. Axel knew that the bird wasn't going to be able to hold out for much longer in weather like this.

"Don't worry," Axel said to the bird. "Everything will be okay."

Axel stared forward, his emerald eyes squinting through the gray darkness, images of Roxas over the three week period of time that the fairy prince had seen him flooding his brain. The blonde boy was laughing, dancing, and staring wide-eyed at Axel as the prince told him stories about what the world was like. The redhead couldn't help but give a small smile as he pictured the blonde's own beautiful smile of pure grace. He recalled the first time that Axel opened that window for Roxas and the beautiful boy was able to step outside of his home for the first time in his life and how they had embraced and how perfect Roxas felt in Axel's arms. How Axel craved to feel the boy under his protective arm once again...

Axel couldn't give up searching for Roxas. For all he knew, Roxas could've still been under the wing of Xemnas. After all, that was the last time Axel had seen Roxas; getting abducted by Xemnas. Axel had no idea that Roxas had also been through a few other experiences as well...

"I won't give up on you...Roxas..."

* * *

"Agh! Son of a bitch!"

The beetle Reno received a hefty punch in the face from no other than Xemnas. The silver-haired bat loomed over the redhead who had fallen back onto the ground, nose bloodied and a black eye to prove.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" snarled Reno, glowering at Xemnas. "I told you! I don't know what the shit happened to Roxas!"

Xemnas growled quietly and lashed out at Reno once again, clenching his fist around Reno's throat and lifting the beetle high off the ground.

"I was told you had stolen _my_Roxas..." Xemnas snarled. "I want a better explanation than you don't know where he is..."

Reno choked. "H-He escaped and ran away! Aaagh! Let me go! I-I can't b-breeeeathe!"

Xemnas grimaced and released Reno, the red-haired male dropping to his knees with a great inhale of breath, hands at his bruised throat. But before Reno had a reprieve, Xemnas had kicked the redhead straight in his side and caused Reno to flop onto his stomach with a grunt and a few coughs.

"Jeez! Man! Lighten up!" Reno coughed. Xemnas huffed and paused briefly on hurting Reno furthermore as the redhead tried to regain himself and stand back up again. He brushed off his polished suit and reached down to pick up his top hat again and place it back on his head.

"Okay... Look..." Reno breathed, wiping at his bloody nose. "I'm telling you one hundred percent truthfully here... I have no clue under the SUN where Roxas is. He ran away. If he hadn't run away I would've kept him nice and safe for you to come and pick him up later!" Xemnas's upper lip curled and he highly doubted what Reno was saying but continued to let the redhead talk.

As Reno continued to explain himself, the redhead had suddenly gotten _the_best idea in the entire world. "But! I just got the best idea in the world, 'eeyyyy?"

Xemnas crossed his muscular arms and raised an eyebrow in question to whatever Reno was about to say. With a grin, Reno began to pace back and forth.

"Okay so, one thing I remember Roxas saying as I was pleas- I mean uh, interrogating the kid...um...was uh, that he kept saying Prince Axel's name... You know who Prince Axel is, right? He's the prince of the fairies; that's big enchanted forest magical business, you know?"

"Prince Axel is dead," Xemnas said bluntly. "I killed him myself. The fairy prince is in fairy heaven." Xemnas chuckled at his own words before his smirk reversed back into a frown. Reno laughed just to get on Xemnas's good side but stopped laughing instantly when Xemnas frowned.

"W-Well uh, what makes you so sure?" Reno said with a smile. "Do you know for a one-hundred percent fact that Prince Axel is dead?"

Xemnas did not respond and he did something different for once and actually peered up towards the sky and thought about this a moment. "I suppose you could be right... I did, after all, only puncture his wing and arm..."

"Well, see?" Reno grinned. "Now my plan consists of this, are you ready? Huh? Huh?" Xemnas did not smile and Reno cleared his throat awkwardly before going on. "Alright, so what you need to do is go and _get_Prince Axel, 'kay? And what you do is use the prince as bait for Roxas! This will get the little cutie to come right to you! Ah? Ah? Get what I'm saying, man?"

Xemnas thought about this some more and then gazed straight at Reno. "Sounds relatively good..."

"Ahaha great!" Reno grinned, outstretching his arms. "Then I'll just be on my merry way and let you get down to business to get Roxas back in your arms."

"Hold on a second," Xemnas growled. But before Reno had even a chance to run, Xemnas's clawed hand and snatched out to grab Reno's leg and pull him up into the air and upside-down.

"Ah! Ah! Put me down, man! The blood's gonna rush to my head, man!"

"Do you honestly believe _I'm_ going to actually do this plan?" Xemnas said, gazing right into Reno's blue eyes. "When _you_could do it for me? You know, as a sort of payback for whatever you did to my beautiful Roxas... Besides, it is your brilliant plan after all...it will only work best by the creator of said plan..."

"NO WAY!" Reno barked. "No freakin' way am I doing _anything_for you! I ALREADY did something for you, yo! I gave you a kickass idea! But no way, NOOOOO WAY am I going to actually set it in motion!"

Xemnas frowned, extremely aggravated by Reno's stubbornness. But then, quite suddenly and unexpectedly to Reno, the bat suddenly reached around with his other hand to Reno's back and with a horrible ripping sound, Xemnas had completely torn off Reno's shining, beautiful beetle wings.

Xemnas dropped Reno onto his back but the redhead was up on his feet instantly. "OH MY GOD! OHHH MY FUCKING LORD, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

Xemnas couldn't help but actually crack a smile at this and even teasingly held Reno's wings up high out of the redhead's reach.

"That is SO not cool! You give those back RIGHT NOW!" snapped Reno. "UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY RIP OFF _RENO'S_WINGS AND EXPECTS TO GET AWAY WITH IT!" Reno suddenly reared up on Xemnas, pressing his chest right against Xemnas's body, looking incredibly livid.

"YOU TOTALLY CROSSED THE LINE, MAN, I AM SO GOING TO HAVE MY FRIENDS EAT YOU ALI-"

Xemnas had had enough of Reno's high-pitched blabbering and clamped his fist around Reno's throat again and squeezed tightly, causing the redhead's eyes to widen and for his voice to become very wheezy.

"OKAY OKAY!" Reno choked. "I'll DO it, for Christ's sake!" Xemnas released Reno and the redhead coughed violently, chest heaving up and down. "Take a chill pill, man, I'll get the prince...sheesh!" Reno began to slowly back away from Xemnas, practically kissing his feet as the redhead slowly sank away into the wintery forest, grumbling maliciously under his breath once he was out of Xemnas's sight.

* * *

The on growing storm from earlier had now involved into a severe snowstorm. The wind was powerful and brutal, and the snowflakes had now manifested into snowballs. It was any wonder Axel hadn't crashed yet from the gigantic balls of snow falling from the cloudy sky above. He couldn't give up, though! Not when Roxas was out in weather like this. Without proper protection from this atmosphere Roxas would surely die.

"Don't give up on me now!" Axel gasped as he noticed the sparrow he had tamed begin to tremble violently. Her eyes were beginning to droop and she was shaking so tremendously that she was starting to lose all feelings in her wings. Axel tried to quickly rub her side in an attempt to warm her, but it did no good as caught sight of the icicles growing on her feathers.

If Axel thought things couldn't get any worse, he was definitely wrong. The sparrow had completely lost all feeling in her body and began to fall from the air. Axel cried out in alarm and begged for her to gain consciousness again, but she was near-death and before Axel even knew it, they had crashed to the snowy ground. The impact of the hit was not nearly as bad as it could've been for the terrain was so packed with snow that it was a rather light landing.

Axel sat up quickly in the deep snow and shivered uncontrollably. He looked around for his sparrow friend in the never-ending whiteness but alas, she was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no..." Axel said, teeth chattering. What was he going to do now? His wing was still trying to re-mend itself from where it had broken, so he had no means to fly himself, not that he could even withstand the danger of this storm. Axel couldn't just stand there, he had to move before he was eaten alive by the ice and snow.

As he pushed his legs through the snow, he felt his clothes become soaked with the snow's wetness, causing Axel's royal garments to become moist and soon enough rather soaked. Axel's cheeks were turning rather blue and even his crimson spikes had icicles beginning to form on the tips. It was safe to say Axel was in trouble.

As Axel went to take another step, not having noticed he was heading towards a hill, he found this as quite a surprise. His foot slipped instantly on the slightly slippery ice that was on the edge of the hill. The redhead released a shout of surprise as he tumbled all the way down the slick hill and then...into a pond.

Ice had already begun to form itself over the surface of the small pond and it had broken when Axel landed on it. The water was unbearably cold, but the prince of fairies was not about to wait around in the freezing waters as he began to literally swim for his life back to the surface. Since Axel had never really been swimming nor enjoyed it, he was a very slow swimmer as he tried to reach the surface of the water.

He was almost there! Just a few more strokes and he'd be able to breathe again. He was about to break the surface and his hand nearly touched the top of the pond, but only his index finger had managed to escape the water before it suddenly turned solid, and the entire pond had frozen into a thick substantial piece of ice, with Prince Axel trapped inside of it.

* * *

Luckily for every other creature living in the forest, the vicious snowstorm had subsided for the time being and the forest looked rather beautiful. Everything was covered in snow and ice and was equally as cold as the way it looked.

Reno, still dressed to his finest, was trekking slowly through the snow in an attempt to locate Prince Axel for Xemnas. He was holding either of his elbows and his teeth were chattering, a thick black scarf wrapped around his neck.

"Good grief is it cold!" he exclaimed.

Reno had about four of his (to put it bluntly) sidekicks walking behind him. They had agreed to help Reno for a hefty donation of the special butterfly dust that they could sniff and become rather high once they inhaled it. Reno, reluctantly, agreed to give them some for free, considering he was the only one who knew how to get a hold of said dust; he was rather good at using his silver-tongue with the naive butterflies.

"Ya know, if that jerk hadn't torn off my wings I would've been able to just _fly_and find Prince Axel MUCH quicker!"

Reno was still quite bothered by what had happened earlier and how he was without wings now and could only walk. He glared at his cronies bitterly as they fluttered their wings when they thought Reno wasn't watching.

Reno had been too busy brooding to notice that one of his goons had wandered off from their little walking line over towards a frozen pond.

"Oi! Reno!"

The redhead stopped dead in his tracks and glanced over to the beetle who called to him. "Yeah, what?"

"I think I got something here!"

The beetles all gathered around where the one beetle had located something, kneeling down and brushing aside the thin snow crystals that had fallen upon the top of the icy surface. Reno's blue eyes grew very wide as he was met with the face of Prince Axel beneath the surface of the frozen water. Reno was so shocked and speechless as he gazed into Axel's still wide green eyes, surprised he was actually able to find Axel this quickly! And in such a vulnerable state, too! Roxas would most definitely respond to something like this.

"This is GREAT, boys!" Reno proclaimed, hopping to his feet. "Do you realize how perfect this is!" Reno grabbed nearly every one of his pals' shoulders as he said this. "If we set this up somewhere in the forest, then when little cutie-pie Roxy comes along, he'll be practically stupefied! He'll say something along the lines of, "Oh Prince Axel! What happened to you!" And then we'll be able to snatch him right up, drop him off to that bat and we'll be free from it all!"

The beetles all exchanged excited looks and nodded to each other.

"Although, before I get him to Xemnas, I might be able to get in a couple of the kid's ass, if I'm lucky!" Reno chuckled confidently. The other beetles chuckled again at Reno's words but all flinched when Reno told them to hurry up and get Axel out of the ice. The four beetles had managed to carve a perfect square out of the ice with their claws and lift the block of ice containing Axel inside of it out of the pond.

It was dripping with the icy water as the four beetles began to push it through the snow and back where they had remembered Xemnas wanted the prince to go. Reno was blabbering the whole time as he stood on top of the block of ice, more or less talking about his experience with Roxas and lying about nearly more than half of what really happened and over-exaggerating many of the parts. He even tossed in Namine except made her want to actually join in rather than rescue Roxas, what she _really _did...

* * *

The day was nearly over, and Roxas was shaking like a leaf. He felt very close to dying from the cruel weather surrounding him. He didn't know where he was going, his clothes were wet and he was scared out of his mind. His bottom lip was trembling from the cold and his teeth were chattering as he wandered aimlessly through the snow.

As he pushed past a tall stalk of weeds, he caught sight of an old shoe, shrouded by some bushes. Roxas practically ran towards it and as he grew closer he saw that there was a sock to match inside of the shoe. That was as close to perfect as he could find right now. Roxas climbed into the foot of the shoe and grabbed the holey sock and wrapped it around himself. He was a bit warmer, but not by much.

"I'm not going to get home..." Roxas muttered, his eyes beginning to grow wet. "There's no way... It's impossible..." Roxas leaned forward and glanced up around and over some of the leaves that were falling in front of his shoe and saw a very distant and nearly unseen light through the clouds, knowing it was the sun. He sighed as he craved that warm glow from the beautiful sun again but shook his head and leaned back into the safety of his sock and shoe.

Roxas shook his head again. "Demyx and Namine are wrong. Axel is not alive... He's not going to come back and I'm certainly not going to see him again, that's for sure..." Roxas was surprised when he felt something warm trickle down his cheek and found it to be a teardrop. Roxas did not wipe at it but only allowed more to drizzle down his pale face as he sniffled and cried.

"I m-m-miss you...A-Aerith..."

Roxas buried his face into the material of the shock and whimpered quietly, shoulders trembling and then voice beginning to crack. He cried for both Aerith and Axel, knowing that whenever he fell asleep he'd been taken by winter's harsh hand and he would never wake up and see them again.

Roxas's home was nearly two miles away for a normal human being to walk, and as the day grew into nighttime, the lights in Aerith's home were about to get blown out. Aerith herself was leaning out the window, trying to peer through the drifting snowflakes and hoping that maybe, if by some miracle, she'd see Roxas appear in the snow beneath the window.

Aerith closed her eyes and sighed sadly. She opened her eyes and one tear slowly ran down her face as she gazed up at the starry sky, snowflakes continuing to float slowly down to the ground. Aerith reached around to take hold of either of the window frames and slowly close them and she headed towards her bed, and a moment later her house was dark.


	5. Chapter V

**A/n: Hey all! Sorry for taking for-freaking ever updating this! XD; it takes a lot of plotting on my part, but, ladies and gentlemen(?), I care to declare that there IS only one more chapter after this one! So enjoy this one while it lasts! Please drop me a review and tell me what'cha think!**

* * *

Roxas had believed all was lost: finding his way home, Prince Axel, and his own life. But when Roxas had actually opened his eyes, never expecting to do that again, he was immediately greeted by a very warm atmosphere. Slowly, Roxas sat up from where he had been laying down under thick blankets in a nice cosy bed. Was he possibly back at Aerith's cottage? No, he wasn't, because when Roxas got a look around he clearly saw he was in a small house, and everything inside of it was just his size. There was no way Roxas was back at Aerith's house, where everything was enormous and human-sized.

Roxas's nose wiggled a little as he smelled something delicious, the aroma wafting from a small, teeny tiny kettle by one piece of burning charcoal. Roxas went to go and stand up to see what was brewing when suddenly there was a pounding at the only door in the room. Gasping, Roxas hurried back over to the bed where he was laying before, pulling the patch-work cloth around him in an attempt to hide himself.

Just then, the door opened and in stepped a rather voluptuous looking young woman. Roxas blinked his cerulean orbs and pulled the cloth away from himself, trying to get a better look at her. She was holding an enormous stem of honey-suckle and instantly began to shove it into the bubbling pot.

"Whew!" she gasped and pushed back some of her jet black hair. "So, you're awake, I see..." Roxas realized it was probably futile to try and hide when obviously this woman had rescued her from the snow.

"Who're you?" Roxas muttered shyly.

The woman, who was dressed in a black dress that looked as if it was made of flower petals, turned to face Roxas with a sweet smile upon her lips. She was tall, slender and had a rather large chest. "My name is Tifa Fieldmouse." It was then that Roxas noticed that this lady had a long fuzzy tail, a tuft of black fur on the end of it, and from the side of her head were mouse ears, the same color as her hair and fur that looked soft to the touch.

"Am I in your house?" Roxas asked once more and Tifa nodded.

"You are," she replied as she reached for a large wooden spoon next to the pot where she began stirring the delicious smelling concoction in the pot. "Underground, too, where it's the safest and warmest place for creatures to go during the winter. By the way, sweetie, what were you thinking?"

"Huh?" Roxas spoke, confused.

"Being outside in that kind of weather; you could've froze to death... I can't believe you thought you could've survived in that old shoe. Honestly... Use your head."

Roxas, feeling a little silly, looked down at his feet, fiddling with his fingers. Tifa had a way of making Roxas feel rather guilty even though he had no idea how to survive out in the wilderness. "I was...I was trying to find my way home."

"Well, you certainly can't go wandering around outside right now, it's way too cold," Tifa said as she picked up her big wooden spoon and filled up a little mug with the thick liquid. It was steaming and smelled sweetly of honey as Tifa passed the cup to Roxas. "Drink that, it'll warm you up."

With a sigh, Tifa sat down on the bed next to Roxas, brushing her hand through her shimmering black strands. Roxas took a few sips of the slightly gelatinous looking fluid and sighed happily at the warmth and taste of the drink. "Thank you..."

"It's no problem, honey, just a little family recipe..."

"No, I mean, thank you for saving me," Roxas said, looking grateful. "You're right...there is no way I would've been able to survive outside like that... I've...never actually been outside before in my life..."

"Really now," Tifa chuckled. "That was obvious to see. By the way, what is your name?"

"Oh, my name's Roxas..." the blonde replied.

Tifa tapped her chin curiously as she stared at Roxas for a few moments, making Roxas feel a bit uncomfortable. He was about to ask her why she was staring at him like that when she suddenly smacked her open palm with her fist as if she had figured something out.

"I know who you are!" Tifa smiled. "Roxas...Prince Axel's fiancée!"

"_F-Fiancée?"_squeaked Roxas. His face flushed crimson as Tifa said that. Did that mean that...Axel had plans on asking Roxas to marry him? The blonde, for once since in a while, actually felt the corners of his pink lips begin to rise in giddiness.

However, there seemed to be something wrong with this news. Tifa didn't exactly look happy for Roxas. Maybe she was an admirer of Axel herself? This question was soon answered as Tifa sighed in sadness and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry to say, Roxas, but...I don't think Axel's going to be marrying anybody now..."

Roxas blinked and tilted his to the side, clearly not understanding what Tifa was talking about. Tifa noticed this and sighed again, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but...well, while I was out searching for the honey-suckle...I heard some animals talking to one another... Axel was found frozen in a block of ice. I'm sorry, Roxas, but...Axel froze to death."

The look of horror and agony on Roxas's face was something of a heart-breaker. Someone as beautiful as Roxas should never have that expression upon their face, and Roxas was too shocked and devastated to hear this that he couldn't even speak. He began shaking and the mug of his drink slipped from his fingers and spilled all over the floor.

"A-Axel...n-no...no it...c-can't be!" Roxas wailed softly. Tears were formed in his eyes and began to flood down his cheeks. "N-Noooo! AXEL!"

Tifa looked heart-broken herself, wishing she hadn't been the one to tell Roxas this and instantly wound her arms around Roxas's petite little body and consoled him lovingly.

"I'm sorry...I know how true love is..." she muttered as he stroked a sobbing Roxas's golden hair.

Roxas's heart felt like it had been cracked in half and there was no way it would be mended again... His true love was gone from his life now... That clearly meant that Axel had been out trying to find Roxas and when the snowstorm had arrived it unfortunately stole Axel's life.

The more Roxas cried the more Tifa wanted to do something about it, something that would take his mind off Axel's death. Patting Roxas's back, Tifa said, "Come on, how about we go visit a good friend of mine." Tifa pulled away from Roxas and tilted his chin up so that Roxas looked up into Tifa's pretty amber eyes. She wiped away Roxas's tears and left the bedside where she stepped over towards the kitchen again and near what looked like an oven.

"Who?" Roxas hiccupped, still incredibly tragic about Axel's death.

"My friend Riku," Tifa replied. "He lives down my tunnel and I've decided to make some cakes for him." Roxas had no utter desire to see anybody right then and there from how upset he was... All he wanted to do was just be alone. "So come on, Roxas. He's really nice and I'm sure he'd appreciate a visit from a pretty young boy like yourself."

"I'd...rather not go..." Roxas muttered.

"What?" Tifa said as she pulled out a tray from the burning oven that was filled with little cakes. She placed the cakes in a small basket with a cloth and sighed gruffly. "I save your life and you can't do this one thing for me?"

Roxas closed his eyes momentarily and then looked up at Tifa - she looked like if she was angered enough she could cause some damage so Roxas gave in and nodded his head. Tifa smiled brightly and passed the basket of cakes to Roxas who took it reluctantly and rose to his feet. Tifa and Roxas left that next moment and Roxas entered a very dark tunnel outside of Tifa's house.

It was long and a bit cold but Roxas disliked it from the sheer darkness. Following close behind Tifa, Roxas kept his eyes wide open as they walked down the tunnel, down and down towards a larger door that was decked with actual sparkling gems from emeralds to rubies. Roxas's eyes glittered from the beautiful jewels and watched as Tifa knocked on the doors.

"I was thinking you could maybe do something for Riku," said Tifa. "Maybe sing to him?"

"Sing to him?" Roxas asked, not liking the sound of that.

"Yes," Tifa smiled as they waited for someone to answer the doors. "Riku really loves sweet things, so a sweet and lovely young boy who sings sweet melodies for him while he's eating my sweet cakes should make him a very happy rat indeed."

"R-Rat?" Roxas paused.

The doors opened up that next second and Roxas's blue eyes finally rested on this person who was Riku. Roxas thought Tifa was tall but Riku towered above both of them, however, he was rather attractive. Long silver hair rested on his shoulders and hypnotizing aqua-marine eyes glittered like the gems embedded in his doors, however a cold expression resided on his face.

But after Roxas took in his features he saw the features which belonged to that of a rat. He had a long white tail and white ears and when Riku opened his mouth to speak he had fangs...

"What brings you here, Ms. Tifa?" Riku asked, crossing his arms.

"I wanted you to meet a new friend of mine," Tifa smiled, tugging on Roxas's arm and pulling him in front of her. "This is Roxas... He's from 'up there'..."

Riku did not speak as Roxas was presented before him and his eyes stayed locked on the beautiful blonde boy before him. Roxas did not make eye contact from how shy he was and stared straight down at Riku's shining shoes; Riku dressed like a noble gentleman.

"So...he's from up there?"

"Yes," Tifa added, grimacing at the thought of land above the underground. "I found him in a shoe, as cold as the snow around him. If I hadn't saved him he would've froze."

"Hm...what a tragedy _that_would have been..." Riku spoke, sounding actually sincere about what he said. Roxas finally got the guts to look at Riku when he said that, however the moment their eyes met Roxas felt shivers run up his spine. "But yes, come in, it's nice to have company once in a while..." Riku turned on his heel and allowed both Tifa and Roxas entry to his home.

Roxas slipped inside when Tifa gestured him to and got quite an eyeful. There were jewels and gems absolutely everywhere. This place was a sparkling beauty! Huge doubloons were stacked in the corners of the room, while other treasures such as gold, jewelry and precious stones.

Not only were there beautiful treasures there but Riku's home in general was very gloriously decorated with Victorian furniture that looked hand-made by both flora and the gold found in the treasure around them.

"_Please_do not touch anything," Riku said calmly as he sat down in what looked like a throne that had silver stones embedded in it. "These are my treasures that I've collected over the years and if any of them got stolen or lost, I would be most unhappy..."

"Ah uhm, we brought you some cakes, Riku," Tifa said, snatching the basket from Roxas which caused the blonde to stumble. Riku actually wrinkled his nose at this as Tifa drew one of the steaming cakes from the basket and offered one to Riku however the silver-haired rat shook his head.

"I just ate, I apologize," Riku said, Roxas seeming to believe that he was bluffing. "I'll get to them later..." Tifa blushed, feeling humiliated, and set the basket down.

Roxas just couldn't take his eyes off the beauty of Riku's home, wishing he had more eyes to look at the beautiful gems. He found himself admiring his appearance in a large golden crown with rubies and smiled a bit at himself.

"So, Roxas, you're from up there on the land, are you?" Riku said, having been watching Roxas the entire time while Tifa tried to make small talk with him. Roxas looked at Riku and nodded his head.

"Y-Yes, sir."

Riku looked as if he was trying to figure Roxas out. "Roxas, may I ask...what exactly _are_you?"

Roxas didn't know what to say... This question had never been asked to him before and the blonde looked at the ground, feeling legitimately ridiculous for not knowing what he actually was. He wasn't a human because he was so tiny... He wasn't a fairy, because he had no wings... So, what actually _was_Roxas?

"I...I don't know sir," Roxas admitted. "I was brought into this world by my mother."

"Then what species is your mother then?"

"A human being, sir," Roxas responded.

Riku's eyes widened slightly but then he actually _laughed_. "How preposterous... You're no human being, Roxas... Hm...but how mysterious... It's as if you're some kind of...rarity...something that nobody could ever hope to obtain because you're so _rare_..."

This very thought seemed to delight Riku quite a bit and the more he stared at Roxas the more he desired the blonde to keep, like his gems and treasures around him. He didn't want to admit this to himself but, Roxas was _the_most beautiful thing in his house, far more gorgeous than all the diamonds, rubies and emeralds...

"Roxas, how about you tell Riku a story?" Tifa suggested, feeling left out as she sat down in one of Riku's cushioned chairs.

"A story?" Roxas muttered nervously. "I-I d-don't..."

"Oh, please do!" Tifa said. "Something sad."

Oh great...something sad. Tifa wanted Roxas to tell them a sad story after Roxas had just been told that his true love was dead. Feeling defeated, Roxas nodded his head.

"Stand right there," Riku ordered gently. He pointed to a pedestal in the center of the room; it was made entirely of gold. "Right where I can see you..."

Roxas did as he was told and stepped towards the golden pedestal, and once he was standing upon it he was the main focus of the whole room. Roxas didn't really know where to begin... He was supposed to tell a sad story...

"Well...once a upon a time..." Roxas began, "there was...the sun." Roxas smiled a bit and went on. "The sun was bright, wonderful and warm." Roxas emphasized this by wrapping his arms around himself and sighing blissfully. Riku, however, looked displeased.

"The sun shines like the love within my heart..." Roxas added, glancing upwards. He closed his eyes and sighed again. "The sun would dance and gleam like a golden star...shining in my eyes..." That very moment, Roxas saw an image of Prince Axel, shimmering and shining like the sun Roxas spoke about. He saw Axel turn to face him and he smiled charmingly at Roxas. The blonde's voice hitched in his throat as he watched Axel disappear as quickly as he had appeared.

"Now...there's no more sun..." Roxas said, opening his eyes slightly, eyes misty. "Winter...has...killed everything... And, although it's dark December...I'll always remember the sun..." Roxas tried to smile but he found he could not.

"Winter...has killed everything... Even...the sun..."

Roxas stopped his story and closed his eyes again, feeling one tear trickle down his cheek and then slip off his face and drip onto the golden surface of the pedestal he stood on. The reflection on the gold pedestal where Roxas's teardrop had fallen showed a very pleased Riku.

"What a wonderful story, Roxas," Tifa said, seeming to completely forget about the impact of Axel's death on Roxas's part.

"Yes, indeed," Riku added, never removing his gaze from Roxas. Riku chuckled, "I greatly enjoyed the part where you said winter killed the sun..."

Roxas opened his eyes and looked at Riku when he said that, feeling his heart break repeatedly. "H-How could you say that? The sun is...so beautiful..."

"I...hate the sun." Riku's voice held great hatred for that of the sun and he frowned. Roxas did not argue but sighed, dreadfully sad as he stared at the ground again.

"Well, I must share something with you two now," Riku spoke. "This morning, as I was out for my early morning stroll, I came across something rather extraordinary. Unfortunately it was nothing I could add to my collection of treasures, but was something a bit...grotesque."

"What was it?" Tifa asked, showing a great deal of interest where Roxas did not.

"A dead bird," Riku answered. "The real question is is how did it get into my tunnel? It was as if he was actually trying to _find_something." Riku rose to his feet and approached Roxas and not caring about personal space at all, the silver-haired rat gripped Roxas by his chin and made the blonde look up at Riku. Roxas shuddered, very nervous as he stared into Riku's eyes and Riku smirked at him, brushing his long fingers over Roxas's cheek.

"Lovely..." Riku whispered. "Like a sapphire, those eyes... However, your eyes could compare to nothing from how beautiful they are."

"Th-Thank you, sir..." Roxas spoke, catching Tifa's intimidating look that read 'say thank you!'.

Withdrawing his hand, Riku said, "Follow me. I'd like to show you two this bird."

This day seemed to be getting worse by the minute as Tifa and Roxas were lead through more underground tunnels of darkness and cold to actually look at a _dead_bird, one thing that Roxas thought were beautiful creatures. They walked through tunnel after tunnel after tunnel, most filled with massive amounts of treasure and others filled with things such as butterflies, which appeared dead but were on the walls. Roxas shuddered as he stared at the pretty butterflies, pinned to the walls, their wings stretched out to reveal the beautiful patterns which they held.

Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel and Riku stopped, gesturing towards an arched entrance. "It's in there..."

Roxas slowly stepped forward and to his horror he saw no other than Demyx, sprawled across the floor, not moving.

"N-No!" Roxas exclaimed in fear as he rushed towards Demyx. "D-Demyx, no! Not...not you too..." Roxas collapsed to his knees and wrapped his arms around Demyx's cold body in an attempt to warm him. Tears flooded his eyes again as he cried into Demyx's blue wing.

"What happened to him?" Tifa murmured to Riku, who looked both pleased and bothered by Roxas's tears.

"No idea," Riku said, sounding uncaring about the death of an apparent friend of Roxas's. "One less bird to twitter up there."

Tifa sighed at Roxas's non-stop sobs of sadness towards his no longer living friend and Tifa shook her head sadly, "Poor little thing... One bad thing keeps happening to him right after the other..."

"Dare I ask?" Riku spoke to Tifa, both of them keeping quiet so Roxas would not overhear.

"Roxas's true love died yesterday," Tifa muttered.

Riku's eyes glittered when hearing this. "So...Roxas has no one?"

"I really don't believe so," Tifa added, not making known that Roxas actually had a home he was trying to reach.

Riku's eyes were shining as he took in this information, his gaze drifting to Roxas again. This was the perfect opportunity to take Roxas into his home since Roxas really had none.

"Tifa, I think...I want to take Roxas into my home," Riku murmured to the black-haired mouse.

"You do?" Tifa asked, glancing at Riku.

"Yes, a rare and beautiful creature such as him should not be living his life alone," Riku said. "He should be taken extremely good care of, and in a place where he could be...all mine..."

"Are you saying you'd like to marry Roxas?" asked Tifa, sounding excited by this.

Riku didn't respond immediately as he watched Roxas, still crying into Demyx's wing, but then the corner of Riku's mouth curled and he spoke, "Yes, I suppose...I would..."

"Oh wonderful," Tifa smiled. "Weddings, I just _love_weddings! Don't worry, Riku, I'll convince Roxas to marry you. After all, you'd be able to take great care of him in your fine home."

Riku's smirk grew wider and then, he grinned, his fangs glimmering just like his eyes.

Roxas sniffled and opened his eyes, gasping gently as he realized he actually felt Demyx's heart beat against his cheek. "D-Demyx... Your heart is beating! You're not dead..."

"Roxas?" Tifa called to him. "Let's go, sweetheart."

"I-I'll come back tonight, Demyx," Roxas shuddered, stroking Demyx's cheek. Reluctantly, Roxas stood to his feet and backed away from Demyx's body and began to follow Tifa and Riku back down the tunnel to return to Riku's home, having no idea of the plan both of them were concocting.

* * *

Above the ground, Reno had successfully gotten Axel out of the ice where he secured in a large block of ice, a perfect little way to use him as bait. He had returned the frozen prince to Xemnas who stared at Axel inside the ice with hatred.

"He looks dead," he said.

"He could be," Reno shrugged. "Who cares anyways; this is sure to get Roxas back in your hands again!"

"You killed him," Xemnas growled, turning to face Reno who looked a little afraid.

"Okay, okay, have it your way! I did kill the guy," Reno said, trying to appear as if this wasn't bad. "But really, forget him right now, actually. What if I told you...I knew exactly where Roxas was right now? That way we wouldn't have to put together this whole...trap thing. I know where Roxas is and you could go and just get him yourself." Reno poked his index fingers together. "Could that mean, maybe...I could get my wings back?"

Xemnas hesitated and stared at Reno, deciding to take him up on this offer. "Alright, it's a deal. I'm glad you killed him." Xemnas glanced at Axel in the ice and grinned maliciously at him.

"Great!" Reno exclaimed happily. "Okay, my resources tell me that Roxas is buried alive deep under the ground with the rat."

"Rat?" Xemnas asked.

"Yep! So, if I were you, I'd get over there right freaking now!" Reno grinned. "And, while you're at it, could I have my wings, please?"

"Where does this 'rat' live, hm?" Xemnas said, reaching out to grip Reno's arm tightly. "We're both going to get Roxas, together."

"W-Wait, w-what!" Reno shrieked as Xemnas began to drag him along the ground in the snow. "You can't take me there! Do you know what that guy does to beetles like me! He'll slit my throat and then stuff me; pin me to the wall to show off my good looks!"

"Shut up..." Xemnas groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Oh man, c'mon!" Reno pleaded. "I told you where he was now just lemme go, maaan! You should just go find a pretty bat or something; one with rabies, ya know the kind!"

"Shut up!" snarled Xemnas, giving Reno a nasty look and the redhead was instantly quiet and allowed Xemnas to continue to drag him across the snow.

Nearby, both Sora and Namine had been watching the scene of Reno retrieve Axel from the ice and take him to Xemnas. Now that Xemnas had nothing to do with Axel, that means he wasn't going to come back for him.

"We've got to help Axel," Namine said. "Roxas is now in that rat's house and both Xemnas _and_Reno are after him, and the only one that can defeat all three of them is Axel."

Sora nodded his head. "Let's build a fire!"

* * *

After about another hour of having to endure more uncomfortable talks with Riku, Roxas was finally able to head back to Tifa's house, which he assumed, would be his momentary home for the winter. He was alright with that; Tifa was wonderfully nice to him, a bit bossy, but friendly. She fed him, gave him a place to sleep and warmth and protection from the harsh cold outside. Of course, Roxas had to help around her little underground home didn't he? Roxas nearly did all the cooking now, and most of the cleaning, but this was a plus for Riku whenever the two would visit them... Riku _loved_Roxas's cooking and would always grow exceedingly pleased when Roxas would present Riku with scrumptious masterpieces that were outstanding compared to Tifa's stone cakes...

Roxas had been living with Tifa for almost five days, not knowing at all of Tifa and Riku's plan, nor knowing that both Xemnas and Reno were heading straight for Tifa's home, _or_that Axel was being slowly thawed out from his block of rock hard ice...

The only major problem about this was that Roxas hadn't gotten one chance to go and return to Demyx who was still in the far-off little cavern in Riku's underground tunnels. He was very afraid to have to maneuver through Riku's home alone...but he'd have to try, especially tonight... Roxas prayed desperately that Demyx's heart was still beating...

* * *

It was that time to go and pay a visit to Riku again - Tifa was doing this every single day, and every single day they went the more Riku seemed to absolutely fall in adoration with Roxas, the blonde beauty having no idea... After a very long talk with Riku (Roxas had given him the cakes he had made and Riku's eyes sparkled with delight at the delicious smell of them and ate nearly four and a half), Roxas stood from where he had been sitting and asked kindly, "S-Sir Riku...w-would it be alright i-if...I...by any chance...go and see that bird again?"

Riku looked at Roxas as if he had lost his mind. Nevertheless, his soon-to-be little wife would have to love him back, wouldn't he? Riku decided that in order for him to receive he needed to give...which gave him a brilliant plan right then and there.

"Of course, my beautiful Roxas," Riku answered with a small smile. Roxas smiled brightly and went to go and walk away, but Riku was not finished yet. "However... In order for me to allow you entry through my tunnels, I must ask one thing of you in return."

Curiously, Roxas waited and nodded his head to hear Riku's deal. "Roxas, I would like for you to spend one night in my home with me. I have an extremely important question I wish to ask you later...when we're alone..."

Tifa forced herself not to smile in excitement, knowing exactly what Riku was talking about. Over the past couple of days, Tifa had tossed some hints here and there at Roxas but it seemed the naive little boy did not catch on... Riku, however, would be able to get through to Roxas, that was for sure.

Roxas did not exactly enjoy the very idea of spending a night in Riku's home, which he found both beautiful and spooky, whereas Tifa's house was lively and warm. But Roxas was not about to lose the opportunity to check on Demyx, one of his best friends who had rescued him multiple times. Finally deciding to say yes to Riku's request, Roxas nodded his head and Riku smirked with delight.

"Wonderful," Riku sighed passionately. "Please do not tarry. I want to talk with you, my dear..."

"I'll be back, I promise," Roxas said flatly and hurriedly began to go in the direction where Riku had taken him to see Demyx days before.

The trek to the little cavern took about twenty minutes, and when Roxas arrived in the dark and extremely cold cavern, he saw Demyx still, laying in the same position on the ground as before, looking just as cold and motionless as before. Roxas stepped over to Demyx and kneeled on the ground, his right hand reaching over his shoulder to grasp the very thick and warm shawl that Tifa had given him and then placed it on Demyx's body before leaning down to wrap his own arms around Demyx.

Tears formed in Roxas's eyes once again and he sniffled, "Please...don't die, Demyx... I love you; you're my friend and I can't lose you, not you too..." Roxas nuzzled Demyx's ice cold neck and hiccupped sadly, terrified that Demyx would never come to... And yet...he heard Demyx's heartbeat still!

"Demyx...you...you rescued me from a living nightmare," Roxas croaked. "You rescued me from Xemnas...and I know you're full of such good; you can't go yet... I-I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused you..." Roxas shook his head and felt his bottom lip tremble. "This world...it's not meant for someone of my size... I c-can't survive out here... There's just...no possible chance. I will die out here if I leave Tifa's home...and...if I could just see you fly away happily...I'll be happy myself..."

Roxas stared down at Demyx, still unmoving with his eyes closed and cold as death. Roxas closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip, accepting the fact that neither him or Demyx would be able to survive this big world... As Roxas went to go and stand, he left his shawl over Demyx, and he began to step slowly away, but that was when he heard a shuddering gasp from behind him.

Roxas whipped around and to his shocking surprise he saw Demyx shifting and opening his eyes.

"D-Demyx!" cried Roxas, rushing back towards the swallow.

"O-Ohh, Roxas," Demyx breathed, his voice raspy. "Do not think th-that way... Things are possible if you believe!"

"Demyx I-I...I'm so glad you're alive!" Roxas exclaimed, smiling brightly and throwing his arms around the blonde.

"A-Aagghh! OW!"

Roxas squeaked in surprise and pulled away immediately, eyes wide. "I'm sorry! What did I do?" Demyx hissed in pain and slowly sat up, looking over his shoulder at the thorn that was still deeply embedded in his big blue wing. "There's a thorn...in my wing! I can't reach it..."

"Don't worry, I can get it out," Roxas smiled and stood up. Slowly, Roxas stepped around to where he stood behind Demyx, his hands planting themselves on the thorn in Demyx's wing. "This might hurt a little bit, so...hold still, okay?"

Demyx whimpered pitifully, "Okay..."

Roxas gripped the thorn tightly, then he jerked it and the thorn came right now. Demyx screamed for at least forty seconds and Roxas stared wide-eyed at him, wondering if the scream was for real or not. He found out that it was just Demyx's way of releasing the stress.

"Thank you, Roxas," Demyx smiled and slowly rose to his feet. He glanced over his shoulder and flapped his wings together in tune with one another. It didn't hurt at all! Demyx laughed cheerfully and took in a deep breath of air. "Spectacular! Now, I can continue my search for the Realm of the Fairies!"

Roxas's smile faded at once and he shook his head, "N-No, Demyx, l-listen..."

"C'mon, Roxas! Get on my back!" Demyx grinned. "Now that I can fly, we're sure to find Prince Axel!"

Roxas pressed his hands to his face and shook his head, "No... No! Be realistic, Demyx! A-Axel is gone!" But it appeared as if Demyx really was not listening; he was just so enthusiastic about flying that Roxas barely had time to get two words in.

"I'll find him! I promise you!" Demyx said giddily.

"Listen to me!" begged Roxas, tears forming in his eyes again.

"Well, it really might _not_be best for me to carry extra weight right now because of my wing," chuckled Demyx, scratching the nape of his neck. "But no doubt indeed! I'll find Axel and then I'll come right back for you, Roxas! And then the two of you can live happily ever after!"

"St-Stop it, Demyx! Please!" Roxas cried. But it all happened way too fast, and before Roxas could say anymore, Demyx was flapping his wings and soaring out of the cavern he had fallen into, out of the skylight above him...

Roxas stared straight up and shuddered, shaking his head miserably. "Stop it..." he muttered. "Stop...t-torturing me, Demyx... Axel i-is...dead..."

Roxas dropped to his knees, face in his palms as he sobbed, heart breaking repeatedly as he remembered Axel and the three week time period he had spent, seeing him every single night...talking with him and getting to know him. And then finally being able to go outside and finally _embrace_him; his true love!

"My poor, sweet Roxas..."

Roxas gasped, lifting his head at once and looking behind him. Right next to him, staring down at him was the looming form of Riku, towering above him like a tall, haunted tree. Roxas shuddered nervously as Riku watched him and Roxas quickly wiped at his eyes.

"Such a pity..." Riku sighed, smiling a bit as he shook his head. "So all along...your true love was Prince Axel of the fairies, now was it?"

Roxas's gaze returned to Riku again and he blinked in confusion. "Yes...yes he was, actually..."

Riku's smirk only increased and slowly he got to his own knees, his body still much more bigger than Roxas. His piercing aqua-marine stare met with Roxas's innocent cerulean gaze and Riku grinned, fangs glimmering from the moonlight above.

"Beautiful... Stunning... A rarity..." Riku breathed. "I must have you."

"Have me?" Roxas questioned.

"Yes, my love..." Riku smiled. "Roxas... Oh, it would do me a great, great honor if you did something for me..."

Roxas blinked again, and quirked an eyebrow and much to his horror Riku had reached out with his gloved hands to grasp one of Roxas's. The blonde's breath caught in his throat as Riku reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a ring and the gemstone that rested in the center of it was a sapphire. It was so very blue that it seemed almost unearthly. Roxas could see his own reflection inside of it from how marvelous it was... But it wasn't that that made Roxas scared, but it was Riku who was sliding the finger onto Roxas's hand.

"Roxas..." Riku began, "please...do me the honor of becoming my bride and making me the happiest and most well-looked upon rat in the country..."

Roxas first reaction was instantaneous. He shook his head at once and said, "N-No! I cannot!"

Riku blinked in the utmost shock and quirked an eyebrow himself, "What?"

"I just can't, sir!" Roxas pleaded. "I don't love you... How can I...marry you, sir? When I have no feelings for you?"

Riku's expression darkened at once and he gripped Roxas's wrist tightly and rose to his feet, jerking Roxas to his as well. "You will love me... I have no doubt in my mind you will. How can you not? Especially from everything you will obtain from being my wife? You'll get everything you desire... And I'll get what I want...the most sought after prize in the world...you."

"Me?" Roxas breathed. "How am I possibly the most sought after prize in the world, sir?"

"In all of my long years, I have never seen a beauty like you," Riku said. "I have seen many a creature, but nothing that looks just like that of the rare fairies but without any wings. There is no way I am going to let you go..."

"You...you can't keep me here!" Roxas cried hysterically, trying to pull his arm out of Riku's grasp.

"I will keep you here," Riku bellowed. "You're going to marry me and be my wife for the rest of your days! I'll pin you to the walls like those butterflies if I must! You can't escape, there's no way for you to! I, myself, am the only one who knows how to get out of these never-ending tunnels and you wouldn't be able to get out, not for months..."

"No...please don't do this!" begged Roxas, tears swelling in his eyes.

Riku frowned and his voice grew calmer. "You have no where else you can go, my lovely...no where. No one will find you, and no one will take you in. I will take care of you, and I will make sure nobody else will spoil your perfectness and you, my gorgeous Roxas, will be treated like that of royalty..."

Roxas stopped and looked down at the ground. "I...I..."

"Yes, my love?" Riku growled, the hair on his ears and tail rising.

Roxas closed his eyes, his heart hammering and breaking all at the same time. Did he really have any other option? Other than to marry Riku? As unfortunate it as it was, Riku would be able to take really good care of Roxas, and he'd be with people his own size... Axel was dead, so Roxas would never be able to return to him where they could spend their days together in love and harmony... Aerith was god knew where and Roxas would never be able to trek across the wilderness to find his home again... Riku would be able to protect and hide Roxas away from dangers such as Xemnas and Reno... He'd have Tifa, at least. She was kind, sweet and nurturing, almost like Aerith herself! Still, Roxas couldn't help but feel defeated as he stared at the ground and he sighed, knowing what he had to do...

Looking up at Riku, his eyes looking nearly dead, but filled with tears, "Alright...I'll marry you."

Riku grinned broadly and smiled to himself, "Fantastic... Now that we're engaged, I'd like to do one thing..." Roxas's eyes widened a little as Riku leaned down towards Roxas, gripped his chin, and Roxas knew what was about to occur... He squeaked in great fear as Riku suddenly pressed his lips to Roxas's in a unloving kiss, causing tears to swim down Roxas's face. His first kiss had been stolen by someone who Roxas disliked greatly... All those fairytales, of the prince and princess sharing true love's kiss had been destroyed for Roxas, all thanks to Riku... But that didn't matter anymore... He was going to marry him, so everything that Roxas had been striving to save for Axel was now all going to be Riku's.

Riku pulled away from a shuddering and teary-eyed Roxas and licked his lips with a long tongue.

"You taste absolutely divine, my love," Riku said, looking down upon his future bride. "Tonight you will sleep in my bed with me. However, I shall not take you yet; it is best to save _that_for the night of our wedding which will be tomorrow..."

"T-Tomorrow?" Roxas choked.

"Tomorrow, as soon as possible," Riku said. "I wish to discover the beauty of your body, my love, and relish in the fact that you'll soon be mine...all, all mine and the entire world will never have you." Riku words terrified Roxas and made him writhe in great fear, but his body and mind worked against him as Riku took Roxas's hand and began to lead him out of the cold cavern and down the tunnels, back to Riku's home where Roxas would have to endure sleeping in the rat's bed for one entire night...or actually...for the rest of his life...


	6. Chapter VI

Roxas's trek back through the dark tunnels of Riku's home was not a pleasant journey. His dainty little hand had been gripped by Riku's much larger palm the entire way, his sharp claws digging slightly into Roxas's skin. Riku did not even seem to notice that, as they walked back, Roxas was silently crying. Roxas had just agreed to marry Riku - marrythe arrogant rat who he disliked greatly. The only reason Roxas said yes was simply he had given up on everything in his little life: his true love was dead; his friend, Aerith, was miles and miles away; and Riku would be able to treat Roxas greatly and give him a life of ease, luxury and great care. There was just one question floating around in Roxas's mind... When Riku told Roxas that he would be treated like royalty, did he mean like a queen or a servant who worked among the royals?

Finally, the two males had arrived back into the main hallway of Riku's home, the chandelier above completely doused. Riku, a little roughly, tugged Roxas into the room so he could turn right back around and close the large double-doors that lead out into the dark tunnels. Once he had closed them, Riku's pale hand disappeared into his inner jacket pocket to remove a small golden key which he inserted into the keyhole and locked it. Once Riku had stowed the key safely back into the small pocket inside his coat, he turned on his heel and looked back at Roxas, who looked a complete wreck I might add, and he smiled.

"Roxas," Riku breathed as he stepped right up behind him. The tall silver-head leaned down a little to wrap his arms around Roxas from behind, having to bend over quite a bit so he could place a kiss to Roxas's cheek. His hands slowly traveled up and down Roxas's chest and stomach, the blonde male shivering in disgust and anguish. Roxas closed his eyes tightly to hold back more tears which dared to creep past his eyelashes as he suddenly felt Riku press a clawed finger right against where one of his nipples would be against his shirt.

Riku withdrew after that and sighed, "Come. Let us sleep, my dear." Roxas looked up at Riku, hating the very thought of this, but he did not argue and agreed to what Riku said with a nod of his head. Riku's continuous smirk only grew wider. The wealthy rat took a few steps away from Roxas to locate a shining golden candelabra, all three candles already lit. Roxas took note in the fact that the candelabra had spider-webs all over it.

Riku gestured for Roxas to follow him up a staircase that was hidden by a gargantuan amount of jewels and Roxas hesitantly followed behind him. The tunnel that lead to Riku's chambers was much like the tunnels that lead to Riku's abundant amount of dead butterflies which were stuffed and pinned to the walls. Nonetheless, it was very spooky. After a few more moments of walking very silently down the tunnel, they arrived at a door that was painted red, and a golden doorknob which sparkled from the firelight.

Riku opened the door, which creaked loudly, and gestured for Roxas to head inside first. The blonde boy did, reluctantly, and turned right back around to watch Riku set down the candelabra, shut the door and then lock it. Roxas gulped.

"U-Um...might I have some...s-sleeping clothes, sir?" Roxas muttered.

Riku turned around and faced Roxas with an amused chuckle. "Sleeping clothes? With the clothes Icould provide for you? My love, you would drown in them. No, no, I've already long decided that you won't be sleeping in any clothes next to your future husband."

Roxas's cheeks flushed dark pink and he went to go and refuse what Riku said, but was too slow to speak before Riku had approached Roxas, swooped him up into his arms and stepped towards his bed. Roxas laid eyes on Riku's four-poster bed, a beautiful, snow-white bed sheet on top and gems embedded in the wood of the bed.

Riku gently placed Roxas down on his large bed, and Roxas, thinking that Riku was going to pull back the bed sheets, instead started to unbutton Roxas's shirt. Roxas's eyes grew wide in horror as Riku began to do this, revealing more and more of Roxas's skin along the way. Riku shuddered at the sight of Roxas's beautiful, creamy looking skin and slowly he pressed his hand against Roxas's chest, running his ice cold fingers along Roxas's torso, causing Roxas's skin to break out into goosebumps.

"Nh...eh...st-stop it...pl-please..." Roxas whimpered.

Riku's piercing eyes flickered up to stare deeply into Roxas's eyes. Roxas's cerulean eyes widened when he saw the expression laid deep in Riku's gaze: danger. Roxas did not speak again as Riku continued to caress Roxas's flawless flesh.

Roxas closed his eyes and shuddered unpleasantly, wishing more than anything he wasn't the victim here. What could he do but to let Riku do as he wished? There was nothing more left for him, he would be Riku's wife for the rest of his days, and he knew other things, far worse than this, would be happening to him no later than tomorrow.

"Aaah!" Roxas cried out, eyes flying open.

"Heh heh..." Riku chuckled darkly. Pulling back from Roxas's chest, the silver-haired rat grinned from ear to ear, "Your cries of pleasure really do delight me, my love..." Riku began to stand up again and to Roxas's horror watched as Riku began to press Roxas back on his bed and begin crawling on top of him.

Riku licked his lips as he stared down at Roxas, "You really should take a touchof what my delight feels like..." Riku's large hand reached out to take Roxas's, and, with a bit of trouble, managed to pull down Roxas's restraining arm right on top of his crotch. Roxas's face was even pinker as he touched a very hard something behind Riku's trousers, something very large pressing against the black fabric and daring to pop out of it.

"Now Roxas... I only ask of one favor of you tonight," Riku breathed. "I can't help it... Just seeing your upper body has caused me so much delight I can barely hold back...and...I don't think I will."

Roxas did not like the sound of that one bit. Too afraid to protest, Roxas trembled in fear as Riku placed an unloving kiss to Roxas's plush lips, kissing him deeply and making Roxas squirm uncomfortably. Riku's left hand reached down to press against Roxas's stomach to stop him from moving so much, and because of Riku's much larger size and much more strength, the rat had managed to stop making Roxas move from the force he was pressing on Roxas's abdomen.

Riku pulled away from Roxas's mouth with a sigh of lust, "Delicious... I think...I want to taste a different part of you now." Roxas was out of breath from all the kissing, trying his best to protect parts of his mouth from Riku's pointed fangs. Roxas had barely gotten his breath back when he felt Riku begin unhooking his pants and slowly bringing them down Roxas's slender legs.

"S-Sir...w-what're you-"

He wanted to scream for Riku to stop, he wanted to say no and that he didn't want this...

"Oh my..." Riku breathed, not hesitating as he pulled down Roxas's undergarments the rest of the way.

Roxas cried out softly and writhed on Riku's bed sheets, hands grabbing at the sheets, desperate for freedom. "Unbearable...isn't it, my sweet..."

Roxas's entire body spasmed a moment as a great pleasure ran through him and his eyes grew very wide. "A-Aaaagh!" Roxas felt tears rush down his cheeks, absolutely hating himself for getting aroused from this.

The rat marveled at Roxas's wonderful cries, whether they were happy or not. Nevertheless, Riku was enjoying the whole scenario.

Roxas looked as if he was about to have a heart attack with the way he was writhing and sobbing, hands clawing at the mattress and pitiful mewls sounding constantly.

Roxas collapsed back onto Riku's bed with a cry of shame, more tears making their way quickly down his cheeks.

Opening his blue eyes, Roxas was met with Riku clambering on top of him again, the blonde shivering in fear, feeling unbelievably violated and wishing he didn't exist. "Your juices taste like the sweetest cake; far better than any of the ones you've baked for me."

Roxas did not say anything, too speechless and paralyzed with fear to speak any words of disgust towards the rat. He waited, the blonde watching Riku as the larger male simply stared in awe at the boy's body beneath his own. Riku relished the sheer adorableness of Roxas's figure, wanting nothing more than to kiss and touch every inch of Roxas's flesh. More important to Riku was one thing however: this artistry below him was all his.

Aqua-marine orbs traveled back up to Roxas's scared face and Riku grinned, fangs looking as if they would penetrate Riku's own lips. "Tell me, my dear... Your...Prince Axel of the fairies...you do know what kind of a person he was like, right?"

Roxas's stupefied form did not respond at all to Riku's question, instead his eyes were the only thing that seemed to have life and response in them. They twinkled with Roxas's tears and remembrance of his true love and only caused him more anguish as Riku continued talking.

"Why...all he wanted to do was have sex with you," Riku smiled, as if this was some kind of a joke to him. "But do not worry... While I am here...the only one who is going to be having sex with you...will be your husband..." Riku smiled wider still, a deep chuckle making it's way up Riku's chest and out of his mouth; a laugh that Roxas thought sounded completely wicked.

Riku slid off of Roxas and stood on his feet, tossing his silvery hair over his shoulder as his hands went straight for his own trousers, unbuttoning them and letting them drop to the floor. Roxas watched Riku, stunned and petrified with terror.

"Oh...you're going to look absolutely beautiful tomorrow...all dolled up for me for our wedding..." Roxas wasn't hearing any of Riku's words. All he heard was pounding in his ears and his own voice screaming loudly in his head, demanding that he do something as he stared at what Riku's hands were doing.

The voice in Roxas's mind shrieked as loud as it could and Roxas finally got his voice back.

"N-NO!" Roxas proclaimed out, sitting up and hurrying over to the opposite side of the bed. Wrapping his arms around one of the wooden poles on Riku's four-poster, Roxas glowered at Riku and whimpered gently. "I...I don't want to do this! You said th-that we weren't going to do this tonight! Th-That we'd wait until...o-our honeymoon!"

At first, Roxas actually thought Riku was leaning back down to pull his pants back on, but as he studied the rat he noticed that was quite the opposite. Riku had grasped his belt; thick, large and leather. Roxas's eyes widened and his body froze in fear as Riku approached him, gripped the belt in his hands tightly and before Roxas could even think about doing anything, Riku had slapped the belt as hard as he could across Roxas's back.

Roxas cried out in agony as a harsh red streak appeared on his back, but it wasn't over because Riku brought the belt back down on Roxas's skin again, all but destroying the flesh he was glorifying moments ago. Riku halted abruptly after one last lash and dropped the belt onto the floor, arms immediately petting the blonde's back and carefully placing Roxas back down onto his bed.

Riku joined him instantly, on top of the blonde at once and staring right into Roxas's tear-filled eyes. "I changed my mind, darling."

"Pl-Please...no..." mewled the defeated blonde boy. Roxas whimpered and sniffled, tears swimming down his cheeks and causing his skin to burn. Why was this happening to him? What had Roxas done to deserve this kind of hell? Were all those days and nights of Roxas dreaming to go outside into the world such a sin? Or was Aerith really telling the truth about how dangerous and cruel the world was; especially to one as small as Roxas.

Roxas reprimanded himself over and over all the days he had been lost out in this big, big world, wishing he hadn't gone outside, wishing he had never met any of these creatures beyond his home, and wishing...that Axel had never landed on his window sill.

"Now," Riku breathed, bringing Roxas to reality again, "I think you owe me something..." Riku placed a few kisses here and there on Roxas's neck, dotting the boy's perfect skin with his lips from his shoulders all the way to his fingertips.

Roxas had a foreboding feeling of what Riku meant; and he was right.

Riku's clawed hands had gripped Roxas tightly around his midsection, his pointed fingernails digging themselves into Roxas's skin momentarily to turn him onto the boy's stomach.

By now, Roxas had decided that it was much too pointless to fight back. What wasthe point anyways? Riku was going to get his way no matter what; even if he took Roxas tonight or tomorrow night. There was absolutely no way out...

Just before Roxas's reprieve of what was about to occur began to come to a stop, Roxas opened his cerulean eyes, finding them drifting up towards the ceiling. He remembered, quite clearly, the look of excitement and sheer joy on Axel's face the moment Roxas had stepped foot out into the world...

With his face swimming in tears, Roxas actually smiled, a gentle gasp of happiness escaping past his pink lips as he recalled that moment. If there was anything that was worth stepping past that window sill, it was to be in Axel's arms...

It was in that very next moment that every single happy thought of Roxas's true love faded into darkness as Roxas felt the most physically painful thing he had ever felt in his entire life.

There was no holding back the pained shrieks of agony that erupted past Roxas's mouth. His cries reverberated around Riku's bedroom, ringing through the rat's ears.

His eyes shined with a kind of pride and a bit of power from his realization that he was the first to enter this perfection.

Soon enough, the sheets were soaked with a great deal of Roxas's blood.

Two minutes passed. Five. Ten. Fifteen minutes. Then a grand total of twenty-five minutes. Still, there was no stopping Riku. After a while, the pain decreased a little, but not enough to where Roxas could tolerate it and get through the rest of this torture. It was still enough to make him scream and sob.

Roxas looked up at Riku, cheeks burning and eyes overflowing with tears; Riku looked the happiest person Roxas had ever laid eyes on. He was wickedly happy...

Riku seemed to have the stamina of a hundred rats, and there was no stopping past one hour. Roxas's screams and cries echoed throughout the tunnels of Riku's home for the entirety of the night.

That night was the longest night Roxas had ever spent. He didn't sleep at all. He writhed in pain all night in Riku's bed, wishing he were dead. His life was over; he couldn't bear to live with someone of the likes of Riku for the rest of his days. He wished he had the courage to do something about this. He craved for the strength and ability to fight off Riku, and find his way home. But his most desperate desire to live in peace and harmony again with Aerith was just a dream. He was going to remain as Riku's beloved little wife for years to come.

Roxas had finally managed to fall asleep well past when Riku had fallen into his slumber, clinging to Roxas as if he thought the boy would escape in his sleep. Roxas's sleep lasted for all of about an hour, and he was woken by Tifa, a bit of a surprise. She didn't seem to notice the large stains of blood on Riku's bed, and didn't question why Roxas was naked beneath them. All she did was smile, her gleaming eyes all but in tears as she cried out, "Wedding!"

This dawned onto Roxas as he was taken back to Tifa's home, watching as Tifa began to make arrangements for the wedding that evening. Roxas watched as Tifa measured the length of a beautiful hand-stitched gown that Roxas was to wear later than night. He witnessed her ice an enormous wedding cake, decorated in blue and white icing. This seemed too good to be true for Tifa, but Roxas did nothing all day except lay in Tifa's bed, eyes staring blankly at the solid dirt wall.

"Sweet-heart, you should be happy!" Roxas heard Tifa say as she stepped through the door to her home. Closing the door with her foot, she smiled brightly as said, "It's your wedding day; this should be the happiest and most joyful day of your life."

Roxas had no response. His face was stoic, and his eyes were dead. His skin was snow white, and his heart tempo was slow. If it had been the happiest and most joyful day of his life, his perfect wedding would be outside in the sunlight. Riku would have Roxas on a skewer if he suggested such a thing.

"Come now, Roxas, what's wrong?" Tifa cooed as she began to add a few touches to Roxas's wedding dress. "You're about to marry one of the richest rats in this part of the country; all that money? And whatever you want? And you're just the saddest person ever! You're going to wear the most beautiful dress I have ever seen in the land and you're not even excited to try it on."

Tifa glanced over at Roxas, noticing he wasn't even moving. Tifa quirked an eyebrow and stepped over to the lounging blonde, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently shaking him. "There's going to be lots of people attending this wedding to see a sight like you, Roxas... Don't be depressed right now. You have a lot to be grateful for." Roxas pretended he didn't hear that.

"Come now, it's time for you to try your dress on. I have to make sure it fits you right."

As Roxas had been forced out of bed to try on the dress, he actually felt his mood lightened only by a bit as he gazed at himself in the full length mirror. Awed by the sight she saw, Tifa was brought to tears by the gracious beauty before her. A pure white dress hugged Roxas's body and showed off every curve of his waist and hips; long billowing sleeves made of lace and made with a sheer fabric showed the slender blonde's arms. As Tifa tied a ribbon in the front of Roxas's dress, now making Roxas appear as if he was a little present, Roxas sighed miserably and looked down.

"Not even a smile?" Tifa asked, appalled by Roxas's behavior. There was nothing Tifa could say or do that could even make Roxas speak. Roxas was too miserable to even notice the beauty in the dazzling dress he was wearing.

The day went on and on as Roxas waited around and watched as Tifa arranged the wedding ceremony to take place in the main hallway of Riku's home where the persons who would be arriving would be able to ooh and aah over the jewels and gold laying around everywhere. Roxas hadn't seen Riku since the previous night, secretly liking the idea of not seeing him ever again, but knowing that was a bust.

And at last, the time had come for the wedding to begin. The hallway was filled with friends and acquaintances of Riku and Tifa, a large number of other rats and mice who lived in the tunnels around here.

Roxas was just outside the entrance, wearing his wedding dress and holding a small bouquet of made from petals of flowers. He stared at the floor as a shivering breath of air left his mouth as he tried to gain the courage to face what was about to happen to him. Tifa had gestured for Roxas to get ready and that everybody was waiting for him. Roxas knew that there was no point in waiting around and that it was time to face the truth of his life now: marry Riku.

The doors decked with emeralds and rubies that lead to the hall filled with people opened and there stood Roxas, eyes sparkling like the jewels around him. Everyone's eyes rested on the exquisite form of Roxas as he began to step slowly down the aisle that had people on either side of it. Roxas caught sight of Riku standing at the front, waiting for him to arrive and stand next to him. He was wearing a white suit, a frosty look in his eyes as he stared at Roxas approaching him. Roxas shivered and looked back down at the ground, noticing several jewels and gems scattered on the edges of the aisle, sparkling and as clear as water. Roxas could see his reflection in them.

Tifa was sitting in the front row, looking a mess as she sniffled and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. Roxas couldn't help but find Tifa's behavior as insulting, as she had only known Roxas for a short time. Nevertheless, Roxas continued his stride to the front, still looking at the ground and at the jewels he was passing.

One large green emerald caught his eye and it reminded him of the lovely shade of green that belonged to Axel's eyes. His heart fluttered as he swore he caught sight of Axel in the jewel. Saddened as he watched Axel's face fade away from the gem, Roxas shuddered in misery as he noticed he had finally made it to the front and was now looking upon the intimidating form of Riku. Roxas watched as Riku leaned down to grasp Roxas's hand and bring it to his lips, kissing his hand gently and hearing a collection of 'awws' from the crowd.

Roxas was now standing beside Riku, facing a very old looking rat, having hardly any hair and a very mean looking face. Roxas kept his eyes down and nearly closed. He tried to block out everything as he listened to the rat who was marrying them begin a speech about true love and matrimony.

Roxas felt sick as he stood there, his chest heaving mildly. No one seemed to notice Roxas's pain as the rat before him continued speaking, desperately not wanting to hear him ask that one question that would seal Roxas's fate.

But then he heard it that very next second; those words past the old rat's lips and question Riku. The tall rat chuckled quietly as he heard this, his aqua-marine eyes closing for a few moments as he was asked this. His eyes opened and looked down at Roxas, "I do."

Roxas opened his eyes as he question was now turned to him.

"And do you, Roxas, take this rat to be your lawfully wedded husband; through sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?"

Roxas's eyes were wide open, his whole body trembling in terrible fear. He opened his mouth and Riku raised an eyebrow, however no words passed the boy's fair lips. He made a few croaking sounds but Roxas made no words to speak. The crowd behind them began to murmur to each other, wondering if Roxas was alright. Riku growled softly as aggravation took over him. His hand snatched Roxas's arm and yanked him roughly to break him out of his paralyzed state.

Roxas gasped gently and looked up at Riku, cerulean eyes wide as saucers.

"Answer him, Roxas," Riku snapped.

Roxas shook terribly hard as Riku said this to him and Roxas couldn't seem to take his eyes away from Riku's, who's were glowering intensely at the blonde boy. Everybody seemed on edge to know what Roxas was going to say, as it seemed Roxas might decline.

"No..."

Everyone hesitated for a moment, and Riku's glower faded away to become completely surprised to hear this from Roxas's mouth.

"I beg your pardon?" the rat marrying them spoke.

Roxas turned to the rat and shook his head, "I said no!" Jerking his arm out of Riku's grasp, the blonde threw down the bouquet of flower petals and turned to Riku, "I can't marry you! I do not love you! I love Prince Axel!"

Riku went from shocked to livid in a matter of seconds as this all crashed down upon him, the entire crowd gasping from alarm and surprise as Roxas spoke these words. "Now you listen here, you little ungrateful brat, you are going to marry me and NO ONE else!"

"NO MEANS NO!" Roxas screamed. Tears were now in his eyes as Roxas suddenly turned around and began to run for the exit. He picked up the material of his dress in hopes it would make him run faster.

"ROXAS!" roared Riku, eyes filled with rage. Everyone was on their feet, watching as Roxas rushed for the doors that lead out of the room. "STOP HIM! STOP HIM AT ONCE!" Roxas fell against the doors, striving to grab onto the handles and pull them open; he could hear people beginning to chase after him.

The door creaked open just enough for Roxas to squeeze through, and in his great attempt he ran through it and the door slammed loudly behind him right as the crowd of people arrived to it. Riku cursed loudly as he witnessed this and he snarled viciously. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and his ears lay flat down, the fur on his tail spiked straight up; Riku looked dangerous.

Suddenly, Riku darted forward, shoving the people aside as he hurried after Roxas, tackling the doors with all his might and throwing them open as if they were no obstacle. Riku ran at full speed down the tunnels, sprinting after Roxas, knowing he wasn't far.

"ROXAS!" roared the rat. He could smell the boy; he wasn't too far along the winding tunnels. "You can't ESCAPE!"

There was a turn ahead and right as Riku turned it he heard a high-pitched scream echo a little ways down from it. The scream belonged to Roxas. Riku charged down the tunnel and saw at once Roxas cornered and standing before him was a very tall figure, huge bat wings coming from his back. Xemnas grinned down at Roxas, chuckling heavily as he saw the blonde cowering before him.

"My beautiful Roxas, I have come back for you," Xemnas grinned wickedly. Roxas looked terrified and even more so when he watched as Riku appeared, tackling Xemnas and grappling him to the dirt.

Riku was snarling and Xemnas roared loudly as he was latched onto by this rat who was lashing out at him, throwing punch after punch at the powerful bat. Roxas took this moment as a clear opportunity to jump up and run for his life. He couldn't remain a coward any longer!

With his dress now ripped in several places and dirtied, Roxas stood to his feet and skittered around the two males fighting violently. It wasn't a few steps Roxas had taken before he was grabbed from behind.

"Aaah!" Roxas screamed in alarm. His wrists were yanked roughly back over and behind his head and he felt another hand wrap around his waist and bring him against somebody. He recognized a familiar odor as someone from behind pressed their nose against Roxas's neck and inhaled.

"Where do you think you'rerunnin' off to, eh?"

The red-haired beetle chuckled cruelly as Roxas struggled underneath Reno's grasp, begging for the redhead to release him. "Let me go! Let me GO!"

"Haha, you're not goin' anywhere, cutie!" Reno grinned. "You're coming with me to become our new little slave, heheheh..."

"NO! NEVER! PLEASE LET ME GO!" Roxas screamed desperately, kicking and squirming quite a bit.

Riku had suddenly bitten down immensely hard on Xemnas's wing, causing Xemnas to cry out in pain. Riku was now bloodied and scratched up and he gazed upon Roxas in Reno's arms.

"Release him at once, insect!" Riku snarled. "Or I shall stuff you and hang you on my walls!"

Reno flinched pathetically as he heard this, a look of fear in his eyes. The fear disappeared instantly in Reno's eyes as he witnessed Xemnas regain himself to suddenly punch Riku hard in the back of his skull, knocking him to the ground. But the powerful rat wasn't going to give up that easily, Riku's fangs elongating and a ferocious growl rumbled through Riku's body.

Roxas didn't want any three of them trying to have him, especially not Xemnas or Riku as they fought ferally for Roxas. The blonde was still struggling as hard as he could in Reno's arms, not having any idea of what was happening just a little ways back down the tunnel.

The dirt from above crumbled and huge piles of dirt piled down onto the ground, creating a bit of sunlight from the outside. Landing on their feet in a steady stance, the prince of the fairies fluttered his wings and dusted himself off. Prince Axel stood there, gazing around either tunnel in a goal to locate Roxas. This was where those two birds had lead him to, both of them explaining that Roxas was underground, being forced to marry a rat.

Axel went to begin running the opposite way of where Roxas actually was, but when he caught the distant sound of a scream ("LET ME GO! SOMEONE HELP ME!") Axel immediately halted and turned around. His emerald green eyes widened as he heard the sound of Roxas's voice which he hadn't heard in what seemed like eons. Dashing down the tunnel, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Let me GO, I say!" Roxas shrieked, suddenly getting an idea and thrusting his leg backwards right against Reno's crotch. The redhead cried out in sheer pain as his genitals were roughly hit and he instantly let go of Roxas, who scampered away immediately, and Reno fell to his knees.

"Fucking l-l-little-"

Axel had arrived at the scene, however Roxas was not even there. But that moment in time, Axel noticed at once that Xemnas was there, the first menace to disrupt Roxas's life and break apart both him and Axel. The other being he was brawling with appeared to be the rat that Namine and Sora were talking about. Riku, extremely powerfully, and with both fists, rammed them both against Xemnas's stomach and caused him to fall backwards, knocking the air out of the bat and causing him to stop moving. Riku didn't seem to be finished yet.

Riku dived at Xemnas and latched onto the bat's neck, biting down with all his force and causing blood to spurt forth from his neck as arteries were broken. Xemnas's body twitched violently as Riku bit down, ripping and tearing the flesh from Xemnas's neck apart and eliminating him.

Rising to his feet, Riku panted heavily and wiped at his mouth. "I see you arrived at the appropriate time..." Riku turned around and faced Axel, his once snow white suit now drenched in blood, "...Prince Axel."

Axel did not move however glowered at Riku, knowing he was the one who was forcing himself upon Roxas in marriage. "You're the rat, aren't you?"

"My name is Riku," Riku spoke back, his eyes deranged with fury. "And because you think you can waltz right into my home and take what it rightfully mine...I'm going to murder you, Prince Axel."

Axel stood his ground, scowling at the rat as he reached down and withdrew, not a dagger, but a long sword. The blade shined bright as Axel held it up and gripped the hilt tightly in either of his gloved hands.

"I think you've had enough murdering for one day," Axel said, eyes flickering over to Xemnas's body on the ground. "But I'm not going to take Roxas..." Riku seemed confused for a moment as Axel said this.

"Then what do you plan to do with the boy?" Riku questioned, keeping his high and mighty attitude.

Axel closed his eyes for a few seconds and then smiled, "I'm going to save him."

If only Roxas had known what was now behind him in that tunnel, he actually would've remained there. If Roxas had known that his true love was behind him, about to duel the rat who Roxas hated, then Roxas would have stayed to see every second of that epic battle, and pray that Axel would be the champion.

However, Roxas had no idea of this. Instead, he assumed that both Riku and Xemnas were still fighting furiously and Reno was still writhing on the ground, if perhaps even limping after Roxas. The blonde didn't ease up his vigorous running one bit; he was going to run until he either ran out of breath or his legs gave out on him.

Roxas felt tears trickle down his face as he rushed to find a way out of these never-ending tunnels. He came to many forks, and several dead ends and he always would hurriedly pick a new way to run or turn around as fast as he could to sprint the separate way. He just had to find a way out of here! He had to get out of this cramped underground, feel the sunlight on his face again and taste the pure clean air on his tongue and have it rush through his lungs.

Roxas's knees suddenly buckled and the blonde dropped down to them, his palms lay flat across the dirt floor, droplets of salty tears hitting the ground as well. Roxas, panting and trembling, began to crawl, still desperately trying to find an exit. He crept along the floor, getting his dress very filthy as he strived to see one ray of sunlight; anything that would have him regain his hope back.

But as he continued to grovel on, Roxas collapsed onto his belly, eyes shut and body twitching. He was so exhausted, from both all the running and what had happened to him the night before in Riku's bedroom. He no longer had the energy to trek on, let alone drag himself along the ground. All was hopeless...

"Nngh!" Axel grunted as he swung his blade at Riku. The silver-haired rat was skilled as he grabbed the blade with both of his hands, lines of blood appearing on his palms as he did so. Not seeming to care, Riku, with all his strength, pressed Axel's sword back against the fairy, causing the red-head to slide backwards, creating deep lines in the dirt.

"D-Damnit..." Axel groaned, pressing forward. Bringing up one leg, Axel managed to push Riku back some and the powerful lock was broken and Riku stumbled. The rat shot back instantly, moving so quickly that Axel barely had time to blink.

Axel whirled around as Riku appeared behind him, bringing up his arm, nails elongated into claws and bringing it down upon Axel's face. The redhead flew several feet backwards, his sword flying out of his hands and clattering against the ground. Three long claw marks bled into Axel's cheek and drops of blood trickled down his pale complexion.

"Haha," Riku chuckled as he strolled towards Axel. "You have no way of defeating me, prince! Your fight is hopeless." Riku stopped, foot pressed against the hilt of Axel's sword, the redhead gasping for air and wondering how on earth he was going to outmaneuver Riku.

"You're not going to saveRoxas from anything!" Riku smirked. "Roxas doesn't need saving; he is just fine where he is. We will soon be married, once I find him, and me and him will live happily ever after, and he'll never see you...ever."

"Not on your life!" Axel roared.

The redhead leapt to his feet abruptly, causing Riku to yell in alarm as the prince summoned energy to flutter his wings and send him in the air and torpedo himself towards the tall rat. With his left leg straight out, Axel had kicked Riku in the face with his foot, wiping out Riku momentarily to the ground.

Regaining his sword, Axel faced Riku and waited for Riku to rise to his feet. Once the rat had, he turned around to face Axel, moving his neck in circles and then hearing several cracks sound. Riku sighed as he stared at Axel, shaking his head and chuckling a bit.

"I know what you seek of him," Riku smiled. "His body, am I correct?"

"You have no idea what I desire from Roxas," Axel responded. "All I want is for Roxas to be happy and safe; never to be scorned from the world and the people who live in it ever again!"

"Haha!" Riku laughed heartily. "Now don't tell me you wouldn't enjoy having a piece of that boy, am I correct in saying this? He is quite the scrumptious little thing... His beauty is of something other-worldly..."

"Shut up!" Axel yelled. "I know he's beautiful; and because of YOU he is tainted and scarred!"

"Please..." Riku frowned. "If anything, he's become even more immaculate since last night..." A long and wicked smirk spread across Riku's lips as he said this and Axel seemed to have the life leave his eyes for a moment.

"Aah, indeed..." Riku grinned delightedly, but cruelly. "Me and him shared our love passionately last evening...he screamed...and moaned...and cried...all...night...long..."

Axel's eyes fluttered closed for a moment as he thought about this. He was unsure if Riku was lying or not... He wondered, by the way Riku had worded it, if the Roxas had actually enjoyed it.

"That can't be true..." Axel murmured.

"Every bit of it is true, Prince Axel!" Riku proclaimed. "I had sex with the beautiful mystery of the world! Roxas! He may have been screaming, but he wasn't screaming for you, Prince Axel! Ahahaha! He cried, and cried, awww boo-hoo! He wished his life was over, he begged for me to stop! But no...he was going to be mine; way one or another! And now Roxas is mine! His virginity was taken by the rich and well-looked upon rat, Riku! Hahaha-"

Blood sprayed out against the ground. Riku coughed and his body spasmed a moment. Looking down, Riku's eyes bulging as he saw Axel's sword embedded through his chest, and with a crack, out the rat's back. Riku had been so immersed in his own self-adoring that he hadn't even noticed that Axel was preparing to make his critical move on the rat. Riku couldn't believe his eyes as Axel stood there, looking right into Riku's face as he turned the sword around and caused more agonizing cracks to sound.

"Any person who hurts Roxas...anyone who does such evil and sadistic things to the one I love...will suffer for it..." Axel breathed coldly against Riku's cheeks.

Shuddering and coughing some more, Riku's body trembled as Axel jerked his sword out of the rat's body and Riku collapsed to the ground instantly. His white suit was soaked with blood, eyes wide open as a huge puddle of blood pooled around Riku's body and Axel sheathed his sword.

Axel walked past him at once and he caught sight of Reno peering around a dirt wall at them. Axel's pierced gaze sharply bore into Reno and the red-headed beetle scampered away in fear. Without wasting further time, Axel sprang forward, hurriedly going to find Roxas and hoping he was okay.

As Roxas laid in the dirt, he opened his eyes part-way and sighed gently. He lifted his head and looked up. Something warm hit his face and the blonde shuddered in surprise as he felt this. His eyebrows twitched in confusion as he looked closer. A little ways above him was a small hole, and through the opening Roxas could see sunshine. The golden glow from the small hole above splashed against the gemstones that lay beneath it, making them shine gloriously. Roxas, with the little bit of strength he had left, strained forward, desperate to get to that opening.

There was a large pile of gemstones before the opening that was a perfect way of climbing up and out of the exit. Roxas didn't hesitate; he began climbing up each and every jewel. Some of the gems toppled down to the dirt floor as Roxas climbed over it; Roxas seemed to no longer care of the beauty of these jewels, but instead of the pure and natural beauty of the sun.

Now Roxas could feel the sunlight spraying against his face, lighting up his eyes like a candle in the night. Just a little more and Roxas would be outside. Pressing his hands against the small hole, Roxas dug madly in an attempt to make it wider. He was successful. Chunks of dirt fell down on top of the blonde, but it wasn't enough to make him stop, he continued clawing at that hole until it was just the right size for him.

Now Roxas pushed his entire upper body against the opening and, at long last, was fully outside of the underground land. Gasping in delight, Roxas smiled so brightly, beaming like the sun itself outside. Roxas threw open his arms and twirled around, laughing loudly and letting the sun warm his skin and the wind blow through his hair.

The wintery outside world had gone; there was hardly any snow left. Granted there were a few icicles hanging from the trees, and a bit of molecules of frost on the leaves and blades of grass. Roxas didn't care; he was outside again! This was by far the happiest he had been in a long time.

"I see you!"

Roxas halted his twirling and dances of joy to look up at the sky. Big blue wings flapped lightly above him as Demyx grinned down at the blonde, "I see you, Roxas! Haha! You got out of there, didn't ya?"

"You bet I did!" Roxas smiled triumphantly. "And-a-and Demyx! It's...the sun! It's...i-it's!"

"You're speechless, Roxas," Demyx chuckled as he hovered a few feet from Roxas. "The sun is wonderful, is it not? That is why I always bask in it during the daytime..." Demyx paused and pressed a finger to his chin. "Or is it Namine who does that...? Oh, who cares now! Come on, Roxas! I need to show you something! Hop on my back."

Without further or due, Roxas hurried over to Demyx where he had landed and wrapped his arms around Demyx's neck and Demyx grasped the blonde's legs from behind and began flapping his wings. Soaring up into the air, Demyx whooped out as he launched himself as fast as his wings could carry him into the sky.

Roxas had never been happier. "So where're we going?" Called Roxas.

"Where do you think?" Demyx joked. "I found the Realm of the Fairies!"

Roxas' smile disappeared a moment as he looked at Demyx, "You what?"

Demyx had landed that very next moment, taking Roxas by surprise and was nearly flung over Demyx's shoulder without knowing about the impact landing.

"You heard me," Demyx smiled as he helped Roxas down. "We're here! Welcome to the Realm of the Fairies!" Demyx spread out his arms and wings widely, presenting the apparent location of the Realm of Fairies, but to Roxas it appeared as if they were standing in any old tree.

Roxas crossed his arms as he looked around, trying to spot anything that looked like the fairy palace Axel had told him about the many times he visited Roxas, the constant pixie dust that always hung in the air there, or just the over abundance of fairies in general! But there was no magical fairy life anywhere in sight.

Turning back to Demyx, Roxas frowned, "Demyx... This is not the Realm of the Fairies. This is a tree."

"A tree that is IN the Realm of the Fairies!" Demyx corrected, poking Roxas in the nose. The bluebird laughed at his own joke, continuing to smile as if he just knew he was right. Roxas shook his head, not believing for a second that this place was the Realm of the Fairies.

"Come out you guys!" Demyx called, putting a hand by his mouth to enhance the sound. "We are not predators but friends!"

"Quit talking to yourself, Demyx," Roxas said with a roll of his eyes. "Nobody is here!"

"No, no!" Demyx whispered softly. "But there is!" Demyx smiled and grabbed Roxas's hands, pulling him closer. "Don't close your eyes, Roxas... Just look around... Believe it's the Realm of the Fairies. There's no need to hide it... They're all right here, watching us. You just got to let them know you believe!"

Roxas stared deep into Demyx's eyes, feeling his heart flutter at the bird's words. Was this really the Realm of the Fairies? Or was Demyx a complete dunce? Turning away from Demyx once again, Roxas gazed around the environment and spoke quietly, "I...believe..."

"Come on, Roxas, you can do better than that!" Demyx urged, gently nudging Roxas.

"I b-believe," Roxas spoke louder. "I believe in the Realm of the Fairies! And I believe it's..." Roxas paused and looked down, feeling embarrassed.

"It's where...?" Demyx grinned expectantly.

"It's...it's..."

"Here."

That was not Demyx's voice. Roxas's eyes widened as he felt a hand on his chest from behind, his heart thundering against his chest. Whirling around faster than Roxas had ever moved before, he barely had time to think as arms wrapped around his waist and a pair of lips pressed against his own. Roxas was in the arms of Prince Axel...and he was kissing him!

Axel pulled away with a smack of his lips and smiled down at the blonde. Roxas looked petrified.

"Axel...you're..."

"Alive," Axel chortled. "I know. I can't believe it either."

"A-Axel..." Roxas choked, eyes filling with tears. "I j-just...can't..."

Axel looked a little worried. Roxas was crying, and notsmiling. This was not how he had imagined his reuniting with Roxas at all. But as quick as he thought that, everything fell into place as Roxas all but tackled Axel in an enormous embrace.

"You're alive!"

Axel laughed and threw his arms around the petite boy, picking him up and twirling him around and causing Roxas to squeal in delight. Demyx, Namine and Sora were all standing together behind Axel and Roxas, all smiling and laughing; Sora high-fived Demyx.

But then Roxas heard something he wasn't expecting to hear at all. It was the sound of many hands clapping, and as Axel set Roxas down, the blonde turned to look and saw to his surprise hundreds of fairies emerging from the leaves in the tree and the flowers on the ground.

They were cheering, looking pleased to see their prince with another person, in love.

"Are these...your people?" Roxas murmured.

"Yes," Axel smiled. "And they always applaud whenever a new fairy joins their kingdom."

Roxas quirked an eyebrow, looking to Axel with a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, whenever a new fairy is introduced to the Realm of the Fairies, there's always a huge ceremony, and all the fairies come together to greet the newest member of the fairies," Axel explained. "Roxas...haven't you been wondering this whole time why you're so different? And why everyone was confused by you? That you were some kind of mystery? There is no creature ever to exist you lookslike a fairy with no wings..."

Roxas was still so confused. Axel was making it sound as if Roxas was a fairy!

"How can I be a fairy?" Roxas muttered. "I don't have any wings."

"You're just a late bloomer," Axel chuckled, ruffling Roxas's hair. "Any creature who is born from a flower IS a fairy. Come on, let's see those wings now..." Axel's transparent wings fluttered to lift him off the tree branch and effortlessly pick up Roxas into his arms, slowly floating down to the huge crowd of fairies below.

Roxas saw fairies of all ages, sizes and even color. There were so many fairies that Roxas wished he had extra eyes to look in several different directions. And sure enough there was that fairy dust Axel had mentioned, the little particles floating in the air around Roxas. Axel had landed on the ground, slowly placing Roxas safely on his feet. Roxas looked at Axel, noticing the redhead looked as if he was waiting on Roxas to do something.

"Let me see those beautiful wings, Roxas..."

Roxas felt his heart flutter again, the fluttering sensation reminding him of a bird, and how the tips of their wings flitted erratically in the air. Roxas sighed passionately and closed his eyes, and he suddenly felt this weightless feeling come over him. Roxas's eyes flew open and was surprised to see an extra amount of dusty sparkles burst forth from behind him.

Roxas was floating in the air, and Axel was definitely not holding him. Roxas looked over his shoulder, the breath leaving him at once as he saw two long transparent fairy wings fluttering on his back.

"W-Wings!" Roxas gasped in shock. "I...I have wings!"

Axel joined Roxas in the air, grasping the boy's hands and pulling him close in a little aerial waltz, "Yes, Roxas! You're a fairy!"

"I'm a fairy, Axel! I can fly with you now!"

"Of course you can, Roxas! All the time, everyday!"

Roxas didn't know what to say as he stared into Axel's eyes. Everything was all so wonderful at once, and he didn't know what to even do anymore besides take what he had at that moment and enjoy it. Intertwining his fingers with Axel's, the two fairies spiraled around in the air together, gold and red dust sparkles falling from their wings as they began to soar and fly all around, groups of the other fairies following behind.

There was only one thing that could make this moment better and complete Roxas's happiness. He had to see Aerith, the woman who had taken the time to raise Roxas and was the one who practically brought him into the world by buying a seed from a witch and planting it, thus creating the blonde fairy that was now.

Axel seemed to understand Roxas's deep desire to go and see Aerith again, and that Roxas wanted to tell her he loved her.

It was that same day as Axel escorted Roxas back to his home himself, and Roxas, in what seemed like forever, rested his eyes on the old cottage on the edge of the forest. His home, with Aerith.

Axel safely helped Roxas land on the window sill, the same one that Roxas would gaze out of every day and night, and the same one that he met Axel on.

"I'll wait right over here," Axel smiled, kissing Roxas's cheek. Roxas watched as Axel flitted away to a nearby rose bush, watching Roxas protectively. Roxas smiled and turned back to the window, peering inside to see if he could spot Aerith.

She was sitting at the table she always sat at whenever she'd read Roxas stories, bake or sew. She didn't look like she was doing anything, actually. She was just staring at the wall.

"Aerith!" Roxas called out loudly, tapping on the glass of the window. "It's me! Roxas! I'm back!"

Aerith didn't seem to hear Roxas at first, however she did turn and Roxas saw tears running down her cheeks. Roxas's face saddened at once upon seeing this kind of sad emotion on Aerith's face. He couldn't bear it, so he only hammered on the glass harder and shouted louder, "AERIIIITH!"

The young brown-haired woman blinked when she heard this sound and turned her head slowly to look at the window. Her eyes were deceiving her... She just knew it. She saw her little Roxas standing in the window sill, wearing a torn up and dirtied wedding dress and looking outstandingly happy. What a vision she was having and Aerith couldn't help but smile, happy to see an image of Roxas looking so gleeful.

Roxas was confused; was Aerith thinking Roxas wasn't really there? He had to try more.

"Aerith! It's me! I'm really here, Aerith!" Roxas called, smiling widely. "Open the window!"

Aerith's smile slowly faded as she heard Roxas's voice, his words flowing freely in her ears.

"Roxas...?"

"Yes, Aerith!" Roxas called. "It's me! Roxas!"

Aerith's eyes widened much wider and she shuddered as she rose to her feet, "R-Roxas!" Sprinting towards the window, Aerith hurriedly, with shaking hands, opened the window, an enormous smile appearing on her face as she stared down at the tiny little boy standing on her window sill.

"Oh...oh Roxas!" Aerith gasped. Placing her palm down, Roxas quickly climbed onto it, wrapping his arms around her thumb and nuzzling it sweetly. Tears immediately came to her eyes and swam down her cheeks. She cried out in delight as she watched Roxas kiss it...

"I'm here, Aerith," Roxas smiled. "And I missed you."

"Why...you have wings, Roxas!" Aerith suddenly noticed. She looked astounded to see lovely wings sprouted from Roxas's back, little golden sparkles falling from them every time they moved.

"It...well...I suppose it turns out..." Roxas said, scratching the back of his head. "That I'm...a fairy..."

"A fairy!" Aerith exclaimed. "My Roxas... was a fairy...all along?"

Nodding, Roxas said, "I-I know! I was...astonished to find out myself! I found out by...another fairy..."

Aerith blinked, tilting her head curiously to the side, "Another fairy?"

"Yes, Aerith...I...I need to tell you everything that's happened," Roxas said with a sigh.

As Roxas began to talk, Aerith had to sit down to hold herself together as Roxas told her every detail from start to finish, that he had been secretly meeting with the prince of the fairies every night for weeks and fell in love with him. That he had gone outside and got kidnapped by a bat named Xemnas, was assaulted by him and then rescued by a bluebird named Demyx. He met a dove and a sparrow named Namine and Sora, Roxas becoming instant friends with them. He explained how he had gotten abducted by a lecherous beetle, taken to hypnotizing rave and was assaulted again. Roxas told Aerith about Tifa, a nice but also very rude mouse who had saved his life but then almost ruined it by introducing him to Riku, the rich and greedy rat. Roxas went on to say everything that Riku had done to Roxas, bringing Aerith to more tears and wishing she had known and that she could've done something. But Roxas lightened the mood by saying he turned down Riku at the wedding and escaped safely and then was reunited with the love of his life, Prince Axel in the Realm of the Fairies where he found out that he was a fairy himself and obtained wings of his own. Roxas's story had lasted nearly all day.

Aerith sighed heavily once Roxas had finished telling her everything, the brunette wiping her eyes and smiling a bit, "Oh, Roxas..."

"W-What?" Roxas asked curiously. "What is it?"

"You don't see it?" Aerith giggled. "Your life...is a fairy tale. Do you remember the stories I used to tell you every night before you'd go to sleep?" Roxas nodded. "Good and bad things happen in those stories...but they always end good... Your story is pure magic, evil, and love... You're a fairy, and your tale has been a great one."

Aerith slowly brought Roxas closer, and she slowly placed the most delicate kiss she could kiss a top Roxas's little head. The blonde stumbled a little but smiled up at Aerith, "Aerith? You know...I'll come and visit you, right?"

Aerith sighed, knowing that this was going to come eventually. After hearing all about Axel and that they were in love, and definitely now that Roxas was a fairy himself...there was no stopping the blonde's desire to marry Axel and live with him forever.

"Yes..." Aerith smiled. "I'll look forward to those visits everyday, Roxas." Aerith sniffled and wiped at her eyes again. Standing up, she strode over to the window sill again and placed Roxas upon it. Her eyes glanced outside of the window, looking around for any signs of the fairy prince, and with a gentle gasp she saw the striking image of a handsome red-haired fairy sitting on a rose, dotted with drops of dew. Axel smiled at her and nodded his head.

Aerith smiled back before looking back down at Roxas, "Okay you...go out and have another adventure with your prince charming!"

"Good-bye, Aerith!" Roxas called as his wings carried him outside. Waving his hand, the blonde soared off into the distance, Axel joining him hand-in-hand. "I love you, Aerith!"

Aerith waved, tears trickling down her cheeks as she watched the gold and crimson sparkles fade into the now rising moon.


End file.
